Feeding unit and printer

ABSTRACT

A first feeding unit is configured that is provided in a first printing unit that includes a first recording unit that executes a recording operation for a long strip-like recording medium pulled out from a first holding unit that holds the recording medium in a wound state. The first feeding unit further includes a pair of feeding rollers that sort the recording medium discharged from the first printing unit, to the side of a second printing unit stacked on the first printing unit or to the side opposite to that of the second printing unit. The first feeding unit temporarily accommodates the sorted recording medium and thereafter, feeds the recording medium to a guide path, and sorts the recording medium fed by the pair of feeding rollers, to the side of the second printing unit using a sorting part.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a printer capable of recording on bothsides of a recording medium and a feeding unit used in this printer.

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional printer executes a recording operation with respect to arecording medium that is to be subject to the recording operation, basedon a recording instruction received from an external apparatus. Suchprinters include a printer that executes a recording operation not onlyfor one side of the recording medium but also for both sides of therecording medium. Among such printers is a printer that uses therecording medium after cutting the recording medium in a wound stateinto pieces each having a predetermined length.

For example, according to a conventional technique for a thermal printerthat executes a recording operation for a recording medium, the thermalprinter includes an inverting mechanism that rotates a holding unit thatholds a recording medium in a wound state or a thermal head unit thatexecutes the recording operation with respect to the recording mediumand the recording operation is adapted to be executed for both sides ofthe recording medium by inverting the front side and the back side ofthe recording medium facing the thermal head unit using the invertingmechanism (see, e.g., Patent Document 1 below).

For example, according to a conventional technique for a thermal printerthat includes plural thermal head units (such as a thermal head unitexecuting an ordinary recording operation using ordinary consumablessuch as an ink ribbon, and a thermal head unit executing a specialrecording operation to provide a protective layer protecting the surfaceof the recording medium, to execute processing to provide agold/silver/colored foil (foil stamping), or the like), the thermalprinter includes an inverting mechanism that rotates a holding unit thatholds a recording medium in a wound state or a thermal head unitexecuting the recording operation for the recording medium and therecording operation is executed with respect to both sides of therecording medium by inverting the front side and the back side facingthe thermal head unit of the recording medium using the invertingmechanism (see, e.g., Patent Document 2 below).

For example, according to a conventional technique for a printer thatincludes a printer unit that executes a recording operation for arecording medium and an inverting unit, a cut paper sheet-like recordingmedium is held in the inverting unit and the printer unit executes arecording operation for a long strip-like recording medium and alsoexecutes another recording operation for the cut paper sheet-likerecording medium (see, e.g., Patent Document 3 below).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-93255

Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-93256

Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2014-55042

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

However, with the conventional techniques described in Patent Documents1 and 2, the mechanism used inverts the recording medium in a woundstate together with the holding unit that holds the recording medium andtherefore, a problem arises in that the size of the apparatus isincreased. With the conventional techniques described in PatentDocuments 1 and 2, space needs to be secured for moving the membersinterlocked with the inversion of the holding unit between the holdingunit and the thermal head unit and therefore, a problem arises in thatthe size of the apparatus increases.

Further, with the conventional techniques described in Patent Documents1 to 3, when the recording operation is executed for both sides of therecording medium, the sides (surfaces) of the recording medium for whicha recording operation has been executed with respect to the front sideare inverted by the inverting unit and another recording operation isexecuted for the back side of the recording medium using the samerecording unit that executed the recording operation for the front side.Therefore, a problem arises in that a long period of time is necessaryuntil the completion of the recording operations for both sides of therecording medium.

With the conventional techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 3,the recording operations are executed for both sides of the recordingmedium and structures specialized for the two-side recording such as theinverting unit are necessary. Thus, a problem arises in that a high costis necessary for development, design, and manufacturing. With thetechnique described in Patent Document 1, the recording unit thatexecutes the recording operation and the inverting unit that inverts thesides of the recording medium are controlled interlocking these unitswith each other and control dedicated therefor needs to be executed,whereby a problem arises in that a high cost is necessary fordevelopment and design.

With the conventional techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 3,the inverting unit is provided under the recording unit that executesthe recording operation, and a problem arises in that when the recordingmedium clogs the feeding path, that is, when so-called jamming occurs,work for recovery such as removal of the recording medium causing thejamming becomes complicated.

To solve the above problems associated with the conventional techniques,an object of the present invention is to provide a printer that has ahigh degree of freedom and is capable of executing a recording operationin accordance with the use by each user without a high cost fordevelopment, design, and manufacturing, and to provide a feeding unitused in the printer.

Means for Solving Problem

To solve the problems above and achieve an object, a feeding unitaccording to the present invention is provided in a printer thatincludes a holding unit that holds a long strip-like recording medium ina wound state and a recording unit that executes a recording operationwith respect to the recording medium pulled out from the holding unit,the printer cutting off and discharging the long strip-like recordingmedium on which the recording operation has been executed, the feedingunit includes a sorting part that sorts the recording medium dischargedfrom the printer, to a side of a second printer stacked on the printerand having a configuration identical to a configuration of the printer,or to a position different from the side of the other printer; a guidingpart that guides the recording medium sorted by the sorting part to theside of the second printer, to be supplied to a position to which asecond recording medium held by the second printer is pulled out, theguiding part guiding the recording medium along a direction identical toa direction to pull out the second recording medium; and a feeding partthat accommodates the recording medium sorted to the position differentfrom the side of the second printer by the sorting part, the feedingpart accommodating the recording medium until a tail end of therecording medium passes through the sorting part, the feeding partfeeding the recording medium to the guiding part starting with the tailend, when the tail end passes through the sorting part. The sorting partsorts the recording medium fed by the feeding part, to the side of thesecond printer.

Further, in feeding unit, the sorting part is a flap-like memberprovided near a discharge position where the recording medium isdischarged from the printer, the sorting part is arbitrarily switchedbetween a first position to communicate the discharge position and theguiding part with each other and a second position to communicate thefeeding part and the guiding part with each other.

In the feeding unit, the feeding part includes a space that is providedat a position different from the side of the second printer in theprinter and that accommodates the recording medium sorted to theposition different from the side of the second printer, without foldingthe recording medium.

In the feeding unit, the feeding part includes a pair of rollers thatfeed the recording medium sorted to the position different from the sideof the second printer, to an inside of the space, the feeding partaccommodates the recording medium in the space by rotating the pair ofrollers in a first rotation direction, and feeds the recording medium tothe guiding part starting with the tail end of the recording medium byrotating the pair of rollers in a second rotation direction that isreverse to the first rotation direction.

In the feeding unit, the space is provided on a side of the printer,opposite a side of the printer having a position at which the printerand the second printer are stacked on each other.

In the feeding unit, the sorting part sorts the recording mediumdischarged from the printer, to an upper side or a lower side in avertical direction and feeds the recording medium fed to the feedingpart, to the guiding part along the vertical direction.

In the feeding unit, the space is provided between the printer and thesecond printer.

In the feeding unit, the sorting part feeds the recording mediumdischarged from the printer, by sorting the recording medium to theupper side in the vertical direction, feeds the recording medium to thespace by sorting the recording medium in a direction intersecting thevertical direction, and further feeds the recording medium fed to thespace to the guiding part along the vertical direction.

The feeding unit further includes a housing that accommodates thesorting part, the guiding part, and the feeding part. The housingincludes a discharging unit that discharges to an exterior of thehousing, the recording medium discharged from the second printer.

A printer according to the present invention includes a printing unitthat includes: a holding unit that holds a long strip-like recordingmedium in a wound state, a recording unit that executes a recordingoperation for the recording medium pulled out from the holding unit, anda cutter unit that cuts the long strip-like recording medium for which arecording operation is executed by the recording unit; the printerfurther including a sorting part that sorts the recording medium cut offby the cutter unit, to a side of a second printing unit stacked on theprinting unit and having an identical configuration as that of theprinting unit, or to a position different from the side of the secondprinting unit; a guiding part that guides the recording medium sorted bythe sorting part to the side of the second printing unit, to be suppliedto a position to which a second recording medium held by the secondprinting unit is pulled out, the guiding part guiding the recordingmedium along a direction identical to a direction to pull out the secondrecording medium; and a feeding part that accommodates the recordingmedium sorted to the position different from the side of the secondprinting unit by the sorting part, the feeding part accommodating therecording medium until a tail end of the recording medium passes throughthe sorting part, the feeding part feeding the recording medium to theguiding part starting with the tail end, when the tail end passesthrough the sorting part. The sorting part sorts the recording mediumfed by the feeding part, to the side of the second printing unit.

Effect of the Invention

According to the feeding unit and the printer of the present invention,an effect is achieved in that a recording operation in accordance withthe use by each user can be executed without a high cost for thedevelopment, the design, and the manufacture thereof, and improvement ofthe degree of freedom can be facilitated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an outer appearance of a printer ofa first embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along A-A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a hardware configuration of theprinter of the first embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram (part 1) of a recording operationrelated to one-side recording of the recording operations executed bythe printer of the first embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram (part 2) of the recording operationrelated to the one-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram (part 3) of the recording operationrelated to the one-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram (part 4) of the recording operationrelated to the one-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram (part 1) of a recording operationrelated to two-side recording of the recording operations executed bythe printer of the first embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram (part 2) of the recording operationrelated to the two-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram (part 3) of the recording operationrelated to the two-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram (part 4) of the recording operationrelated to the two-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram (part 5) of the recording operationrelated to the two-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram (part 6) of the recording operationrelated to the two-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram (part 7) of the recording operationrelated to the two-side recording of the recording operations executedby the printer of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention; and

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of an internal configuration of aprinter of a second embodiment according to the present invention.

BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of a feeding unit and a printer according to the presentinvention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

First Embodiment

(Outer Appearance of Printer)

An outer appearance of a printer of the first embodiment according tothe present invention will first be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatorydiagram of the outer appearance of the printer of the first embodimentaccording to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the printer 100 of thefirst embodiment according to the present invention includes twoprinting units 110 and 120, and feeding units 130 and 140 provided onthe front sides of the print units 110 and 120. The feeding units 130and 140 are provided on the front sides (the side on which operations bya user are received) of the printing units 110 and 120.

The two printing units 110 and 120 respectively include housings 110 aand 120 a that each have a substantially box-like shape and that havesubstantially identical shapes. The printer 100 is used in a state wherethe housings 110 a and 120 a are stacked on each other in a verticaldirection. The printing unit 110 (hereinafter, referred to as “firstprinting unit”) on the lower side in the vertical direction and theprinting unit 120 (hereinafter, referred to as “second printing unit”)on the upper side in the vertical direction have similar outerappearances. The first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit120 are separable from each other.

The first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 can eachindependently execute a recording operation. As to the first printingunit 110 and the second printing unit 120, the first printing unit 110alone or the second printing unit 120 alone can be used as anindependent printer.

The first printing unit 110 and the feeding unit 130 (hereinafter,referred to as “first feeding unit”) corresponding to the first printingunit 110 are separable from each other. The second printing unit 120 andthe feeding unit 140 (hereinafter, referred to as “second feeding unit”)corresponding to the second printing unit 120 are separable from eachother. The first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140 areseparable from each other.

Each of connection portions of the first printing unit 110 and thesecond printing unit 120, and each of connection portions of theprinting units 110 and 120, and the feeding units 130 and 140 may have ashape (not depicted) to position the connection counterpart. Even whenthe printing units 110 and 120 are configured to be separable from eachother, the positional relation between the printing units 110 and 120and the positional relations between the printing units 110 and 120, andthe feeding units 130 and 140 can thereby be precisely and easilyestablished.

A discharging exit 141 that discharges the recording medium that passesthrough the second printing unit 120 is provided on the housing 140 a ofthe second feeding unit 140. The printer 100 discharges a recordedmatter for which recording is executed by the second printing unit 120,to the exterior of the printer 100 through the discharging exit 141. Thehousing 130 a of the first feeding unit 130 has no opening especiallyprovided thereon and has a substantially box-like shape that is flushwith the housing 110 a of the first printing unit 110.

In the printer 100, a tray 150 having a hollow box-like shape isprovided on the lower side of the first printing unit 110 and the firstfeeding unit 130. A predetermined space can be secured on the lower sideof the first printing unit 110 and the first feeding unit 130 byproviding the tray 150. The tray 150 is open at least at a positionfacing the first feeding unit 130 and includes a space that canaccommodate the recording medium that protrudes from the first feedingunit 130 downward in the vertical direction to be lower than the firstfeeding unit 130. In the first embodiment, the space included in thetray 150 can realize a “space that accommodates the recording mediumwithout folding the recording medium” according to the presentinvention.

In the first embodiment, the first printing unit 110 realizes a printeraccording to the present invention and the second printing unit 120realizes another printer according to the present invention. In thefirst embodiment, the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit140 each realize a feeding unit according to the present invention.

(Internal Configuration of Printer 100)

An internal configuration of the printer 100 of the first embodimentaccording to the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is across-sectional view along A-A of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the first printingunit 110 and the second printing unit 120 respectively have holdingunits 201 and 202 that each hold a recording medium that is to berecorded on. The first holding unit 201 and the second holding unit 202have a same configuration. In the first embodiment, the first holdingunit 201 realizes a holding unit according to the present invention.

The first holding unit 201 and the second holding unit 202 includeholding shafts 201 a and 202 a that are provided enabling rotationaround an axis with the front side-back side direction of the papersheet of FIG. 2 as an axial direction. The first holding unit 201 andthe second holding unit 202 each hold, respectively using the holdingshafts 201 a and 202 a, a winding core to be the winding center of therecording medium having a long strip-like shape and a length aspectwound in a roll. The first holding unit 201 and the second holding unit202 each thereby hold the wound long strip-like recording medium in astate where the recording medium can be fed out starting with an end onthe outer circumference side. In the first embodiment, the recordingmedium held by the second holding unit 202 realizes another recordingmedium according to the present invention.

The recording medium includes a recording layer. The recording layerincluded in the recording medium is provided on the surface of a basematerial formed by paper or the like. The recording layer includes aheat insulating layer applied or bonded to the base material, and areceiving layer stacked on the heat insulating layer. The first holdingunit holds, for example, the recording medium whose base material has arecording layer provided on both sides of the base material. The secondholding unit holds, for example, a recording medium whose base materialhas a recording layer provided only on one side of the base material.

The first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120respectively include recording units 203 and 204 that each executes arecording operation for the recording medium that is to be recorded on(a printing paper sheet). The recording unit (hereinafter, referred toas “first recording unit”) 203 included in the first printing unit 110and the recording unit (hereinafter, referred to as “second recordingunit”) 204 included in the second printing unit 120 have a sameconfiguration and respectively include thermal heads 203 a and 204 a,and platens 203 b and 204 b. In the first embodiment, the firstrecording unit 203 realizes a recording unit according to the presentinvention.

The first printing unit 110 includes, in the housing 110 a, a firstfeeding path 206 from the first holding unit 201 to a first dischargingexit 205, through the first recording unit 203. A pair of feedingrollers (not depicted) that feed the recording medium in the firstfeeding path 206 is provided on the first feeding path 206. The pair offeeding rollers includes rollers forming a pair and arranged facing eachother across the first feeding path 206. One or more pairs of feedingrollers are provided on the first feeding path 206.

The thermal head (hereinafter, referred to as “first thermal head”) 203a and the platen (hereinafter, referred to as “first platen”) 203 b inthe first recording unit 203 are arranged facing each other across thefirst feeding path 206. In the first recording unit 203, the firstthermal head 203 a is provided to be movable between a position to be incontact with the first platen 203 b and a position to be separated fromthe first platen 203 b.

The first platen 203 b has a cylinder-like shape whose axial directionis the width direction of the recording medium, and is provided enablingrotation around an axis. The first platen 203 b is provided to berotatable counterclockwise (the forward direction) on the paper sheetsurface of FIG. 2 and clockwise (the reverse direction) on the papersheet surface of FIG. 2.

A motor not depicted is coupled with the first platen 203 b through apredetermined gear train. The first platen 203 b receives a pressureapplied to the recording medium by the first thermal head 203 a facingthe first platen 203 b across the recording medium, passively rotatingwith the movement of the recording medium in contact therewith due totransmission of the driving force of the motor coupled therewith throughthe predetermined gear train.

The second printing unit 120 includes, in the housing 120 a, a secondfeeding path 208 from the second holding unit 202 to a seconddischarging exit 207, through the second recording unit 204. The secondfeeding path 208 extends on the side opposite to that of the secondrecording unit 204 sandwiching the second holding unit 202 therebetween,and communicates with an insertion entrance 209 provided on the housing120 a of the second printing unit 120. The second feeding path 208therefore communicates from the insertion entrance 209 to the seconddischarging exit 207, passing through the second holding unit 202 andthe second recording unit 204.

The thermal head (hereinafter, referred to as “second thermal head”) 204a and the platen (hereinafter, referred to as “second platen”) 204 b inthe second recording unit 204 are arranged facing each other across thesecond feeding path 208. In the second recording unit 204, the secondthermal head 204 a is provided to be movable between a position to be incontact with the second platen 204 b and a position to be separated fromthe second platen 204 b.

Similarly to the first platen 203 b, the second platen 204 b has acylinder-like shape whose axial direction is the width direction of therecording medium and is provided enabling rotation around an axis.Similarly to the first platen 203 b, the second platen 204 b is providedto be rotatable counterclockwise (the forward direction) on the papersheet surface of FIG. 2 and clockwise (the reverse direction) on thepaper sheet surface of FIG. 2.

A motor not depicted is coupled with the second platen 204 b through apredetermined gear train. The second platen 204 b receives a pressureapplied to the recording medium by the second thermal head 204 a facingthe second platen 204 b across the recording medium, passively rotatingwith the movement of the recording medium in contact therewith.

Both the first thermal head 203 a and the second thermal head 204 a eachincludes plural heat generating elements (heat generating resistors)that are arranged in a line along the width direction of the recordingmedium (the front side-back side direction of the paper sheet of FIG. 2)and a driver IC that drives the heat generating elements (see FIG. 3).The driver IC is driven and controlled by a microcomputer (see FIG. 3)included in each of the first printing unit 110 and the second printingunit 120. The driver IC is driven and controlled by a microcomputer andthereby, selectively energizes electrode wires connected to the heatgenerating elements in each of the first thermal head 203 a and thesecond thermal head 204 a, from a power source not depicted to therebyheat the heat generating elements corresponding to the energizedelectrode wires.

The microcomputer included in each of the first printing unit 110 andthe second printing unit 120 is mounted on a control circuit boardprovided in each of the first printing unit 110 and the second printingunit 120. The control circuit board drives and controls the componentsincluded in each of the first printing unit 110 and the second printingunit 120.

The first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120respectively include ribbon units 210 and 211. The ribbon units 210 and211 have a same configuration.

For example, the ribbon unit 210 included in the first printing unit 110includes a pair of rollers 210 a and 210 b that hold an ink ribbon. Thepair of rollers 210 a and 210 b holds the ink ribbon so that the inkribbon is be stretched between the first thermal head 203 a and thefirst platen 203 b. The pair of rollers 210 a and 210 b holds the inkribbon in a state where an ink layer of the ink ribbon faces the firstplaten 203 b between the first thermal head 203 a and the first platen203 b.

The pair of rollers 210 a and 210 b in the ribbon unit 210 includes thetake-up roller 210 a and the supply roller 210 b. The take-up roller 210a is provided to be rotatable clockwise in FIG. 2 and accompanyingrotation, winds thereon from an end of the ink ribbon, the ink ribbonheld by the supply roller 210 b. The supply roller 210 b holds the longstrip-like ink ribbon wound thereon to enable the long strip-like inkribbon to be fed out starting with the outer circumference side of theink ribbon. The supply roller 210 b rotates clockwise in FIG. 2associated with the winding up of the ink ribbon accompanying therotation of the take-up roller 210 a, and feeds out the ink ribbonstarting with the outer circumference side of the ink ribbon.

For example, the ribbon unit 211 included in the second printing unit120 includes a pair of rollers 211 a and 211 b that hold an ink ribbon.The pair of rollers 211 a and 211 b holds the ink ribbon so that the inkribbon is be stretched between the second thermal head 204 a and thesecond platen 204 b. The pair of rollers 211 a and 211 b holds the inkribbon in a state where an ink layer of the ink ribbon faces the secondplaten 204 b between the second thermal head 204 a and the second platen204 b.

The take-up roller 211 a is provided to be rotatable clockwise in FIG. 2and accompanying rotation, winds thereon from an end of the ink ribbon,the ink ribbon held by a supply roller 211 b. The supply roller 211 bholds the long strip-like ink ribbon wound thereon to enable the longstrip-like ink ribbon to be fed out starting from the outercircumference side of the ink ribbon. The supply roller 211 b rotatesclockwise in FIG. 2 associated with the winding up of the ink ribbon bythe rotation of the take-up roller 211 a, and feeds out the ink ribbonstarting with the outer circumference side thereof.

The ink ribbons held by the ribbon units 210 and 211 each includes along strip-like base material and the ink layer provided on one side ofthe base material. The ink layer is formed by a sublimable dye ink (anink including a sublimable dye (a sublimable coloring matter, a heatdiffusible coloring matter), that is, a sublimable ink). For example,the ink ribbon includes ink layers for colors of yellow (Y), magenta(M), and cyan (C). Each of the ink layers is formed by a sublimable dyeink (an ink including a sublimable dye (a sublimable coloring matter),that is, a sublimable ink).

In the ink ribbon, the ink layers for the plural colors are cyclicallyarranged along the length direction of the base material for each color.For example, the ink layers for yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C)are cyclically arranged in order of “the ink layer for yellow (Y) to theink layer for magenta (M) to the ink layer for cyan (C) to . . . ” alongthe length direction of the base material.

The ink ribbon also includes an overcoat layer. The overcoat layer iscyclically arranged along the length direction of the base materialtogether with the ink layers. For example, in the ink ribbon, the inklayers are cyclically arranged in order of “the ink layer for yellow (Y)to the ink layer for magenta (M) to the ink layer for cyan (C) to theovercoat layer to the ink layer for yellow (Y) . . . ” along the lengthdirection of the base material.

The first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 eachexecutes a recording operation employing a sublimation transfer method.The recording operation employing the sublimation transfer method isexecuted by selectively energizing the heat generating elements in thethermal heads 203 a and 204 a to thereby selectively heat the heatgenerating elements, transmitting the heat generated by the heatgenerating elements to the ink ribbon, and transferring by sublimationthe sublimable dye ink included in the ink layers included in the inkribbon to the recording medium for the recording layer in the recordingmedium that is to be recorded on. The receiving layer in the recordingmedium receives the transfer of the sublimable dye ink included in theink layer included in the ink ribbon. The printer 100 that executes therecording operation that employs the sublimation transfer method iscalled, for example, a dye-sublimation printer, or the like.

The dye-sublimation printer can adjust the density of the ink to betransferred to the recording medium for each dot to be recorded. Thedye-sublimation printer is therefore excellent in dark tonerepresentation. Because the dye-sublimation printer can presentexcellent dark tone representation, image quality sufficient for the useof printing photographs can be acquired with the dye-sublimationprinter. Therefore, the dye-sublimation printer is also recentlyemployed for use in desktop publishing (DTP).

In the recording operation, each of the first printing unit 110 and thesecond printing unit 120 performs a lamination process with respect tothe surface of the recording medium (a recording face) on which therecording operation is executed, by providing the overcoat layer tocover the recording face. This enables degradation of thewater-resistance performance and the weather-resistant performance ofthe sublimable dye ink in the recorded matter to be suppressed,enhancing the water resistance and the weather resistance of therecorded matter. When the recording operations are executed for bothsides of the recording medium, the overcoat layer is provided for eachrecording operation for each of the sides.

The first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 eachincludes a grip roller 212 and a pinch roller 213. The grip roller 212and the pinch roller 213 are arranged facing each other across the firstfeeding path 206 and the second feeding path 208.

Each of the grip rollers 212 is provided on the side facing toward theback side of the recording medium in the recording operations by thefirst recording unit 203 and the second recording unit 204. Each of thepinch rollers 213 is urged in a direction for the pinch roller 213 toabut the grip roller 212 arranged facing the pinch roller 213. The griproller 212 and the pinch roller 213 can thereby hold and pinch therecording medium that is fed in the first feeding path 206 and thesecond feeding path 208.

The grip roller 212 includes a protrusion (not depicted) that protrudestoward the outer circumference. Slippage can thereby be preventedbetween the grip roller 212 and the recording medium. The force for thegrip roller 212 and the pinch roller 213 to be able to hold, pinch, andfeed the recording medium (a grip force) is secured to sufficiently belarger than the load applied to the recording medium by the firstrecording unit 203, the second recording unit 204, the first feedingpath 206, and the second feeding path 208. Thus, slippage can thereby bereliably prevented between the grip roller 212 and the recording medium.

The grip roller 212 is coupled with a motor (see FIG. 3) through apredetermined gear train, whereby the grip roller 212 can be rotated ina state where the recording medium is held and pinched between the griproller 212 and the pinch roller 213. The rotation of the grip roller 212in the state where the recording medium is held and pinched between thegrip roller 212 and the pinch roller 213 enables control of the positionof the recording medium relative to the recording positions of the firstthermal head 203 a and the first platen 203 b and of the second thermalhead 204 a and the second platen 204 b.

In the first printing unit 110, a first recording medium detectingsensor (see reference numeral “318” in FIG. 3) that detects the positionof the lead end of the recording medium pulled out from the firstholding unit 201 to the first feeding path 206 is provided near the griproller 212. The first recording medium detecting sensor includes, forexample, a light emitting element and a light receiving element that arearranged facing each other across the first feeding path 206, and can berealized by an optical sensor that varies according to variations in theamount of light received at the light receiving element.

The amount of light received at the light receiving element varies dueto the passage of the recording medium fed in the first feeding path206, between the light emitting element and the light receiving element,and the first printing unit 110 can detect the position of the lead endof the recording medium pulled out from the first holding unit 201 tothe first feeding path 206 based on the output value of the firstrecording medium detecting sensor, the output value varying according tovariations in of the amount of light received.

In the second printing unit 120, similarly to the first printing unit110, a second recording medium detecting sensor (see reference numeral“328” in FIG. 3) that detects the position of the lead end of therecording medium pulled out from the second holding unit 202 to thesecond feeding path 208 is provided near the grip roller 212. Similarlyto the first recording medium detecting sensor, the second recordingmedium detecting sensor can be realized by an optical sensor thatincludes a light emitting element and a light receiving element that arearranged facing each other across the second feeding path 208.

The recording positions for the colors relative to the recording mediumcan be aligned precisely for the recording operations by the firstrecording unit 203 and the second recording unit 204 and high qualityrecorded results can be obtained by providing the first recording mediumdetecting sensor and the second recording medium detecting sensor eachnear the grip roller 212.

In the first printing unit 110, a first cutter mechanism 214 is providednear the first discharging exit 205. The first cutter mechanism 214includes a fixed blade whose position is fixed and a movable bladeprovided to be movable in the width direction of the recording mediumalong the fixed blade (reciprocal movement) (blades not depicted). Themovable blade is in contact with the fixed blade and is provided at aposition to divide the first feeding path 206. The movable blade has acircular plate-like shape including a blade in its outer circumferentialportion, and is provided to be movable in the width direction of therecording medium along the fixed blade (reciprocal movement). Themovable blade is positioned at a position so as not to interfere withthe passage of the recording medium, during a non-operation such as acase where the movable blade stands by until cutting of the recordingmedium.

The first cutter mechanism 214 includes a driving source such as a motorfor driving the movable blade, a power transmission mechanism thattransmits a driving force generated by the motor for driving the movableblade to the movable blade (neither are depicted), and the like. Thefirst cutter mechanism 214 cuts the recording medium by moving themovable blade in the width direction of the recording medium by usingthe driving force generated by the motor for driving the movable bladein a state where the cutting position of the recording medium (that is,the position to be cut at) is fed up to the position at which themovable blade in the first feeding path 206 moves to transversely run inthe first feeding path 206 (reciprocal movement) (that is, the positionat which the first cutter mechanism 214 is to cut).

In the first printing unit 110, a first cutting position detectingsensor (see reference numeral “319” in FIG. 3) whose output value variesaccording to the presence or absence of the recording medium is providednear the cutting position for the first cutting mechanism 214. Similarlyto the first recording medium detecting sensor, the first cuttingposition detecting sensor includes, for example, a light emittingelement and a light receiving element that are arranged facing eachother across the first feeding path 206, and can be realized by anoptical sensor that varies according to variations in the amount oflight received at the light receiving element.

In the first printing unit 110, a first cutting waste accommodating unit215 that accommodates cutting waste (cut paper waste) produced when therecording medium is cut by the first cutter mechanism 214 is provided onthe lower side in the vertical direction of the first cutter mechanism214. The first cutting waste accommodating unit 215 includes an opening(not depicted) that opens on the side toward the first cutter mechanism214, the first cutting waste accommodating unit 215 is provided on thehousing 110 a of the first printing unit 110 to be attached thereto anddetached therefrom.

The first printing unit 110 includes a first guide member 216 thatguides the position of the recording medium to be recorded on so thatthe recording medium is fed in the first feeding path 206 in the housing110 a. The first guide member 216 guides the position of the recordingmedium so that the recording medium pulled out from the first holdingunit 201 is fed to the first cutter mechanism 214 through the firstrecording unit 203.

In the second printing unit 120, a second cutter mechanism 217 isprovided near the second discharging exit 207. The second cuttermechanism 217 has a same configuration as that of the first cuttermechanism 214 and includes a fixed blade, a movable blade, a drivingsource, a power transmission mechanism, and the like. In the secondprinting unit 120, a second cutting position detecting sensor (seereference numeral “329” in FIG. 3) whose output value varies accordingto the presence or absence of the recording medium is provided near thecutting position of the second cutting mechanism 217. For example,similarly to the first recording medium detecting sensor and the firstcutting position detecting sensor, the second cutting position detectingsensor includes a light emitting element and a light receiving elementthat are arranged facing each other across the second feeding path 208,and can be realized by an optical sensor that varies according tovariations the amount of light received at the light receiving element.

In the second printing unit 120, a second cutting waste accommodatingunit 218 is provided on the lower side in the vertical direction of thesecond cutter mechanism 217. The second cutting waste accommodating unit218 has a same configuration as that of the first cutting wasteaccommodating unit 215, includes an opening (not depicted) that opens onthe side toward the second cutter mechanism 217, and is provided on thehousing 120 a of the second printing unit 120 to be attached thereto anddetached therefrom.

The second printing unit 120 includes a second guide member 219 thatguides the position of the recording medium that is to be recorded on sothat the recording medium is fed in the second feeding path 208 in thehousing 120 a. The second guide member 219 guides the position of therecording medium so that the recording medium pulled out from the secondholding unit 202 is fed to the second cutter mechanism 217 through thesecond recording unit 204.

The second printing unit 120 includes the guide member 219 that guidesthe position of the recording medium fed from the side of the firstprinting unit 110 through the insertion entrance 209 so that therecording medium is fed to the second recording unit 204. In the guidemember 219, a switching member 220 is provided on an end thereof towardthe second recording unit 204.

The switching member 220 is selectively positioned at a position for acontinuous paper sheet and a position for a cut paper sheet depending onthe type of the recording medium supplied to the second recording unit204. The switching member 220 is positioned at the position for acontinuous paper sheet when the recording operation is executed withrespect a recording medium held by the second holding unit 202, andcloses the path leading from the insertion entrance 209 to the secondrecording unit 204. The switching member 220 is positioned at theposition for a cut paper sheet when the recording operation is executedwith respect to a recording medium fed from the first printing unit 110side through the insertion entrance 209 and closes the path leading fromthe second holding unit 202 to the second recording unit 204.

In the second printing unit 120, an insertion detecting sensor (seereference numeral “330” in FIG. 3) whose output value varies accordingto the presence or absence of the recording medium is provided near theinsertion entrance 209, and the switching member 220 is selectivelypositioned at the position for a continuous paper sheet and the positionfor a cut paper sheet depending on the output value of the insertiondetecting sensor. For example, the switching member is positioned at theposition for a continuous paper sheet when the insertion detectingsensor detects no recording medium, and is positioned at the positionfor a cut paper sheet when the insertion detecting sensor detects therecording medium.

In the housing 130 a of the first feeding unit 130, an inverting path224 is provided that communicates (connects) a first opening 221provided at a position to face the first discharging exit 205 (theposition to discharge the recording medium from the first printing unit110), a second opening 222 provided at a position to face the tray 150,and a third opening provided at a position to face the second feedingunit 140 with each other. The inverting path 224 includes a path 224 athat communicates the second opening 222 and the third opening 223 witheach other, and a path 224 b that branches near the first opening 221 inthe path 224 a to communicate with the first opening 221. Thus, theinverting path 224 has a substantially T-like shape.

In the inverting path 224, a pair of feeding rollers 225 is provided ata position closer to the second opening 222 than the branching positionof the path 224 a and the path 224 b. One roller 225 a of the pair ofrollers 225 a and 225 b constituting the pair of feeding rollers 225 iscoupled with a driving source (see FIG. 3) such as a motor to drive theone roller 225 a, and is coupled with a power transmission mechanism(not depicted) that transmits the driving force generated by the drivingsource to the one roller 225 a.

The motor to drive the one roller 225 a is set to be rotatable in bothof a forward direction and a reverse direction. The one roller 225 a canthereby be rotated in both directions to feed the recording medium fromthe side of the first opening 221 toward the side of the second opening222 (hereinafter, referred properly to as “first rotation direction”)and to feed the recording medium from the side of the second opening 222toward the side of the third opening 223 (hereinafter, referred properlyto as “second rotation direction”). The one roller 225 a is rotated in adirection according to the rotation direction of the motor to drive theone roller 225 a.

The other roller 225 b of the pair of rollers 225 a and 225 bconstituting the pair of feeding rollers 225 is urged in the directionto abut the one roller 225 a by an urging member not depicted. The pairof rollers 225 a and 225 b of the pair of feeding rollers 225 arethereby provided in a state where a portion of the outer circumferentialface of each of the rollers 225 a and 225 b abuts each other. The otherroller 225 b of the pair of feeding rollers 225 rotates in the directionreverse to the rotation direction of the one roller 225 a associatedwith the rotation of the one roller 225 a by the friction against theone roller 225 a.

The pair of feeding rollers 225 holds and pinches the recording mediumbetween the pair of rollers 225 a and 225 b each having a portion of theouter circumferential face thereof abutting that of each other. In astate where the pair of rollers 225 a and 225 b holds and pinches therecording medium therebetween, the recording medium is urged by theother roller 225 b in the direction for the recording medium to abut theone roller 225 a. In this state, when the one roller 225 a rotates, therecording medium can be fed in a direction according to the rotationdirection of the one roller 225 a by the friction between the one roller225 a and the recording medium.

The pair of feeding rollers 225 is provided at a position whereby, inthe first printing unit 110, the distance to a pair of feeding rollersprovided closest to the first discharging exit 205 is smaller than thedimension of the recorded matter identified based on a recordinginstruction received from an external apparatus (see reference numeral“300” in FIG. 3). Thus, feeding force can always be imparted to therecording medium in the printer 100 and the recording medium dischargedfrom the first printing unit 110 can be prevented from remaining in thefirst feeding unit 130. In the first embodiment, the feeding partaccording to the present invention can be realized by the pair offeeding rollers 225.

The pair of feeding rollers 225 is provided at a position whereby thedistance from the position at which the pair of feeding rollers 225holds and pinches the recording medium therebetween to the insertionentrance 209 provided on the housing 120 a of the second printing unit120 is smaller than the dimension of the recorded matter identifiedbased on a recording instruction received from an external apparatus.Thus, a feeding force can always be imparted to the recording medium inthe printer 100 and the recording medium fed from the first feeding unit130 to the second feeding unit 140 can be prevented from remaining inthe first feeding unit 130 or the second feeding unit 140. The recordingmedium can thereby be fed from the first feeding unit 130 to the secondprinting unit 120 without providing any feeding unit such as a pair ofrollers to feed the recording medium in the second feeding unit 140.

In the inverting path 224, a sorting part 226 is provided at thebranching position of the path 224 a and the path 224 b. The sortingpart 226 is provided at a position to face the first discharging exit205 through the first opening 221. The sorting part 226 can be realizedby, for example, a flap-like member provided having one end fixed andhaving another end capable of swinging with the one end as the fulcrumthereof. In the first embodiment, hereinafter, the flap-like memberrealizing the sorting part 226 will be described using the referencenumeral “226”.

The position of the flap-like member 226 can be arbitrarily switched bythe swinging with the fixed one end thereof as the fulcrum, between afirst position for communicating the first opening 221 and the secondopening 222 with each other and a second position for communicating thesecond opening 222 and the third opening 223 with each other.

In the housing 140 a of the second feeding unit 140, a guide path 229 isprovided that communicates a fourth opening 227 provided at a positionto face the third opening 223 and a fifth opening 228 provided at aposition to face the insertion entrance 209 provided on the housing 120a of the second printing unit 120, with each other. The second feedingunit 140 includes a guide member 230 that guides the position of therecording medium fed in the guide path 229. In the first embodiment, aguiding part according to the present invention can be realized by theguide path 229 and the guide member 230.

In the housing 140 a of the second feeding unit 140, a discharge path231 is provided that communicates the second discharging exit 207 andthe discharging exit 141 with each other. A pair of rollers 232 arrangedfacing each other across the discharge path 231 is provided on thedischarge path 231. The pair of rollers 232 is provided in a state wherea portion of the outer circumferential faces of the rollers abut eachother, and the abutting portions hold and pinch the recording medium.

The pair of rollers 232 is not coupled with any power source such as amotor and, when the recording medium discharged from the second printingunit 120 is pinched between the pair of rollers 232 and the recordingmedium is further fed in this state, the pair of rollers 232 are rotatedassociated with the movement of the recording medium. The recordingmedium can be held at the discharging exit 141 by providing the pair ofrollers 232.

(Hardware Configuration of Printer 100)

A hardware configuration of the printer 100 of the first embodimentaccording to the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is anexplanatory diagram of the hardware configuration of the printer 100 ofthe first embodiment according to the present invention. In FIG. 3, theprinter 100 includes a first control system 310 and a second controlsystem 320. The first control system 310 drives and controls thecomponents included in the first printing unit 110. The second controlsystem 320 drives and controls the components included in the secondprinting unit 120. The first control system 310 and the second controlsystem 320 are each independent from each other and each independentlydrive and control the component subject to control thereby.

The first control system 310 includes a first microcomputer 311, a firstcommunications interface (I/F) 312, a first driver IC 313, a first motordriver 314, and a first input I/F 315. The components including thefirst microcomputer 311, the first communication I/F 312, the firstdriver IC 313, the first motor driver 314, and the first input I/F 315are connected to each other by a bus 316.

The first microcomputer 311 drives and controls the components includedin the first printing unit 110. The first microcomputer 311 can berealized by, for example, a circuit board on which a CPU, a memory suchas a ROM or a RAM, and various types of circuits such as an input/outputcircuit and a timer circuit are mounted.

The first microcomputer 311 executes various types of control programsstored in the memory included in the first microcomputer 311 using theCPU, based on various types of data stored in the memory and varioustypes of data received from the external apparatus 300 through the firstcommunication I/F 312, and thereby drives and controls the componentsincluded in the first printing unit 110. In the first microcomputer 311,the CPU uses the RAM as a work area that is used when, for example,image data related to the printing based on recording instructioninformation is expanded.

The first communication I/F 312 is connected to the external apparatus300. The first communication I/F 312 may be connected directly to theexternal apparatus 300 or may be connected thereto through a network.The first communication I/F 312 supervises the interface between theexternal apparatus 300 and the inside of the first printing unit 110,and controls inputting and outputting of data into/from the firstcontrol system 310.

The first driver IC 313 is driven and controlled by the firstmicrocomputer 311. The first driver IC 313 is driven and controlled bythe first microcomputer 311 and thereby selectively energizes theelectrode wires that correspond to the plural heat generating elementsincluded in the first thermal head 203 a in the first recording unit203. The heat generating elements can thereby be selectively heated. Theheat generated by the heat generating elements of the first thermal head203 a is transmitted to the recording layer of the recording mediumthrough the ink ribbon, the sublimable dye ink provided on the inkribbon is thereby transferred by sublimation to the recording medium,and thereby, the recording operation for the recording medium can beexecuted.

The first motor driver 314 is driven and controlled by the firstmicrocomputer 311. The first motor driver 314 is connected to varioustypes of motors 317 such as a motor coupled with the first platen 203 b,a motor coupled with the grip roller 212 in the first printing unit 110,a motor for driving the movable blade in the first cutter mechanism 214,and a motor coupled with each of the feeding units such as the pair ofrollers in the first printing unit 110. The first motor driver 314drives and controls the various types of motors 317 connected to thefirst motor driver 314 based on control signals from the firstmicrocomputer 311.

The first input I/F 315 is connected to various types of sensors such asthe first recording medium detecting sensor 318 and the first cuttingposition detecting sensor 319. The various types of sensor may beconnected to the first input I/F 315 by a universal serial bus (USB).

The first input I/F 315 outputs to the first microcomputer 311, signalsthat correspond to the output values from the various types of sensorssuch as the first recording medium detecting sensor 318 and the firstcutting position detecting sensor 319. The first microcomputer 311drives and controls the components included in the first printing unit110 based on signals output from the first input I/F 315.

The second control system 320 includes a second microcomputer 321, asecond communication I/F 322, a second driver IC 323, a second motordriver 324, and a second input I/F 325. The components including thesecond microcomputer 321, the second communication I/F 322, the seconddriver IC 323, the second motor driver 324, and the second input I/F 325are connected to each other by a bus 326.

The second microcomputer 321, the second communication I/F 322, thesecond driver IC 323, the second motor driver 324, and the second inputI/F 325 included in the second control system 320 are similarlyconfigured respectively to the first microcomputer 311, the firstcommunication I/F 312, the first driver IC 313, the first motor driver314, and the first input I/F 315 in the first control system 310. Thesecond motor driver 324 drives and controls various types of motors 327connected to the second motor driver 324.

The second input I/F 325 is connected to various types of sensors suchas a second recording medium detecting sensor 328, a second cuttingposition detecting sensor 329, and an insertion detecting sensor 330.The various types of sensors may be connected to the second input I/F325 by a universal serial bus (USB).

For example, the external apparatus 300 produces a recording instructionfor the printer 100 and outputs the produced recording instruction tothe printer 100. The external apparatus 300 can be realized by, forexample, a personal computer that is installed in a DPE shop thatpresents a service of outputting by printing an image taken by a digitalcamera.

The recording instruction includes, for example, information related toan image and the like to be recorded on the recording medium and acommand and the like instructing the recording of the information. Forexample, the external apparatus 300 outputs a one-side recordinginstruction instructing a recording operation for one side of therecording medium (one-side recording), a two-side recording instructioninstructing a recording operation for both sides of the recording medium(two-side recording), or the like, as the recording instruction.

In outputting the two-side recording instruction, the external apparatus300 outputs the one-side recording instruction to each of the firstprinting unit 110 and the second printing unit 120. In outputting thetwo-side recording instruction, the external apparatus 300 realizes theoutputting of the two-side recording instruction by outputting arecording instruction including the information related to an image tobe recorded on one recording side (for example, the front side) of therecording sides provided on both sides of the recording medium(hereinafter, referred properly to as “front side recordinginstruction”) to the first printing unit 110, and a recordinginstruction including the information related to an image to be recordedon the other recording side (for example, the back side) of therecording sides provided on both sides of the recording medium(hereinafter, referred properly to as “back side recording instruction”)to the second printing unit 120.

In outputting the two-side recording instruction, the back siderecording instruction output by the external apparatus 300 to the secondprinting unit 120 includes an instruction for the recording operationnot for the recording medium held by the second holding unit 202 but forthe recording medium inserted through the insertion entrance 209.Alternatively, the back side recording instruction may include aninstruction to regulate the rotation of the winding core for therecording medium held by the second holding unit 202 to prevent rotationof the winding core for the two-side recording.

The control of the printer by the external apparatus 300 may be executedby a printer driver installed in the external apparatus 300 or may beexecuted by a dynamic link library (DLL). A DLL file is a library(plural highly versatile programs) that cannot alone be executed and isautomatically concatenated and expanded on the memory during theoperations of the printing units such as the recording operations. TheDLL in the printer can be realized by a program commonly necessary forthe operations of the printing units.

(Recording Operation Executed by Printer 100)

A recording operation executed by the printer 100 of the firstembodiment according to the present invention will be described below.As described above, the printer 100 can execute the one-side recordingand the two-side recording for the recording medium.

(One-Side Recording)

The recording operation related to the one-side recording will bedescribed as the recording operation executed by the printer 100. FIG.4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7 are explanatory diagrams of the recordingoperation related to the one-side recording of the recording operationsexecuted by the printer 100 of the first embodiment according to thepresent invention.

In the one-side recording, the printer 100 first receives a one-siderecording instruction from the external apparatus 300. The one-siderecording instruction is input to the second printing unit 120. Thesecond printing unit 120 having received the one-side recordinginstruction positions the switching member 220 at the position for acontinuous paper sheet (see FIG. 4).

The second printing unit 120 having received the one-side recordinginstruction rotates the pair of feeding rollers in the second printingunit 120 in the direction to pull out the recording medium held by thesecond holding unit 202 to the second feeding path 208. The recordingmedium held by the second holding unit 202 is thereby pulled out fromthe second holding unit 202 to the second feeding path 208 (see FIG. 4).The position of the lead end of the recording medium pulled out from thesecond holding unit 202 to the second feeding path 208 can be detectedbased on the output value of the second recording medium detectingsensor 328.

Based on the detected position of the lead end of the recording medium,the second printing unit 120 further rotates the pair of feeding rollersin the second printing unit 120 and rotates the grip roller 212 in theforward rotation direction. The pair of feeding rollers and the griproller 212 are rotated in the forward direction until the position ofthe lead end of the recording medium whose position of the lead endthereof is detected reaches a starting position of the recordingoperation set in advance (a printing starting position).

The starting position of the recording operation by the second printingunit 120 (the printing starting position) can be set at a positionwhereby a length from the lead end of the recording medium pulled out tothe second feeding path 208, to the recording position of the secondrecording unit 204 is larger than the dimension of the recorded matteridentified based on the one-side recording instruction received from theexternal apparatus 300. The second printing unit 120 causes the secondthermal head 204 a to become separated from the second platen 204 b whenthe long strip-like recording medium is pulled out from the secondholding unit 202.

The second printing unit 120 moves the second thermal head 204 a towardthe second platen 204 b to cause the second thermal head 204 a and thesecond platen 204 b to hold and pinch the recording medium and the inkribbon therebetween. In this state, the heat generating elementsincluded in the second thermal head 204 a are selectively heated basedon the one-side recording instruction and the long strip-like recordingmedium pulled out from the second holding unit 202 is fed to the secondfeeding path 208 in the direction for the recording medium to be pulledinto the second holding unit 202 (see FIG. 5). The heat generated by theheat generating elements included in the second thermal head 204 a istransmitted to the ink ribbon; the sublimable dye ink provided on theink ribbon is transferred by sublimation to the recording medium wherebythe recording operation can be executed for the recording medium.

In the described recording operation, printing is sequentially executedfor the Y, M, and C faces for each color of the ink layers. For example,the recording operation for the first color (for example, yellow (Y)) isexecuted, the recording operation for the second color (for example,magenta (M)) is executed, and the recording operation for the thirdcolor (cyan (C)) is executed. Every time the printer 100 executes therecording operation for each of the colors, the printer 100 pulls outthe recording medium to the second feeding path 208 until the lead endof the recording medium pulled into the second holding unit 202 by therecording operation again reaches the printing starting position.

For example, after the recording operation for the first color (forexample, yellow (Y)) is executed, the recording medium is pulled to thesecond feeding path 208 until the lead end of the recording mediumreaches the printing starting position. The recording operation for thesecond color (for example, magenta (M)) is executed and, after therecording operation for the second color (for example, magenta (M)) isexecuted, the recording medium is pulled to the second feeding path 208until the lead end of the recording medium reaches the printing startingposition. The recording operation for the third color (cyan (C)) issimilarly executed.

After the recording operations for all the colors are executed for theone side of the recording medium, an overcoat layer is provided on therecording face for which the recording operations are executed. In thestate where the recording medium is pulled to the second feeding path208 until the lead end of the recording medium for which the recordingoperation is executed reaches the printing starting position, the secondprinting unit 120 executes the recording operations and thereby providesthe overcoat layer on the recording face for which the recordingoperations are executed. The overcoat layer is provided on the overallface of the recording face for which the recording operations areexecuted.

The second printing unit 120 drives and controls the correspondingsecond motor driver 324 to rotate, in the forward direction, the pair offeeding rollers provided for the second feeding path 208 in thedirection with which the recording medium on which the overcoat layerhas been provided moves from the second holding unit 202 toward thesecond discharging exit 207. The second printing unit 120 drives andcontrols the corresponding second motor driver 324 until the lead end ofthe recording medium on which the overcoat layer has been provided ispulled to the predetermined position passing through the cuttingposition of the second cutter mechanism 217. For example, the secondprinting unit 120 drives and controls the corresponding second motordriver 324 to rotate, in the forward direction, the pair of feedingrollers provided for the second feeding path 208 until the borderbetween the recorded portion toward the lead end of the recording mediumfor which the one-side recording is executed and a non-recorded portionreaches the cutting position of the second cutter mechanism 217.

In the described recording operations, the energy applied to therecording face of the recording medium for the recording operation(printing energy) can be adjusted by adjusting the energization amount(an energization time period) for the heat generating elements includedin the second thermal head 204 a and the feeding speed of the recordingmedium for the recording operation (the printing energy). The curvecaused by the winding and remaining in the recording medium, caused byusing the wound long strip-like recording medium can thereby be removedand the recording medium can be set to be flat without any curve.

In a state where the recording medium on which the overcoat layer hasbeen provided is pulled to the predetermined position, the movable bladeis caused to operate by driving and controlling the motor driver 324 ofthe motor for the movable blade in the second cutter mechanism 217 (seeFIG. 6). The margin at the lead end of the recording medium for whichthe one-side recording is executed is thereby cut off from the recordedmatter. The margin piece produced by this cutting is accommodated in thesecond cutting waste accommodating unit 218.

The second printing unit 120 drives and controls the correspondingsecond motor driver 324 so that the pair of feeding rollers rotate inthe direction by which the recording medium for which the one-siderecording has been executed and from which the margin at the lead end ofthe recording medium has been cut off is fed toward the seconddischarging exit 207. The printer 100 drives and controls thecorresponding second motor driver 324 until the recorded portion of therecording medium of the recording medium for which the one-siderecording has been executed is fed to a predetermined position passingthrough the cutting position of the second cutter mechanism 217. Forexample, the printer 100 drives and controls the corresponding secondmotor driver 324 to rotate, in the forward direction, the pair offeeding rollers provided in the second feeding path 208 until the borderbetween the recorded portion on the side toward the tail end of therecording medium for which the one-side recording has been executed anda non-recorded portion thereof reaches the cutting position of thesecond cutter mechanism 217.

In this state, the movable blade is again caused to operate by drivingand controlling the second motor driver 324 of the motor for the movableblade in the second cutter mechanism 217 (see FIG. 7). The borderbetween the recorded portion of the recording medium for which theone-side recording is executed and the non-recorded portion thereof isthereby cut. In this manner, a recorded matter having no margin (arecorded matter having no frame) can be provided by cutting both ends ofthe recorded portion the recording medium for which the one-siderecording has been executed.

The recording medium from which the margins on both ends have been cuttherefrom becomes a paper sheet-like recording medium cut from the longstrip-like recording medium. The second printing unit 120 feeds the cutpaper sheet-like recording medium to the second feeding unit 140 throughthe second discharging exit 207 using the pair of feeding rollers, anddischarges the cut paper sheet-like recording medium from thedischarging exit 141 provided on the housing 140 a of the second feedingunit 140 to the exterior of the printer 100.

In the printer 100 of the first embodiment, the second printing unit 120is stacked on the upper side in the vertical direction of the firstprinting unit 110 and space can be secured on the front side of theprinter and under the discharging exit 141. Even when plural recordedmatters are consecutively discharged from the discharging exit 141, theplural recorded matters can be accumulated in a stacked form in thisspace.

(Two-Side Recording)

The recording operation related to the two-side recording will bedescribed below as the recording operation executed by the printer 100.FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13, and FIG. 14 areexplanatory diagrams of the recording operation related to the two-siderecording of the recording operations executed by the printer 100 of thefirst embodiment according to the present invention.

In the two-side recording, the printer 100 first receives a two-siderecording instruction from the external apparatus 300. As describedabove, in the two-side recording, a front side recording instruction isinput to the first printing unit 110 and a back side recordinginstruction is input to the second printing unit 120. The first printingunit 110 having received the front side recording instruction positionsthe flap-like member 226 at the first position. The second printing unit120 having received the back side recording instruction positions theswitching member 220 at the position for a cut paper sheet (see FIG. 8).

The first printing unit 110 having received the recording instructionrelated to the double-side recording instruction rotates the pair offeeding rollers in the first printing unit 110 in the direction to pullout the recording medium held by the first holding unit 201 to the firstfeeding path 206. The recording medium held by the first holding unit201 is thereby pulled out from the first holding unit 201 to the firstfeeding path 206 (see FIG. 8). The position of the lead end of therecording medium pulled out from the first holding unit 201 to the firstfeeding path 206 can be determined based on the output value of thefirst recording medium detecting sensor 318.

Based on the detected position of the lead end of the recording medium,the printing unit 110 further rotates the pair of feeding rollers in thefirst printing unit 110 and rotates the grip roller 212 in the forwardrotation direction. The pair of feeding rollers and the grip roller 212are rotated in the forward direction until the position of the lead endof the recording medium whose position of the lead end thereof isdetected reaches a starting position of the recording operation set inadvance (a printing starting position).

The starting position of the recording operation in the first printingunit 110 (the printing starting position) can be set at a positionwhereby the length from the lead end of the recording medium pulled outto the first feeding path 206 to the recording position of the firstrecording unit 203 is larger than the dimension of the recorded matteridentified based on the front side recording instruction received fromthe external apparatus 300. The first printing unit 110 causes the firstthermal head 203 a to be separated from the first platen 203 b when thelong strip-like recording medium is pulled out from the first holdingunit 201.

The first printing unit 110 moves the first thermal head 203 a towardthe first platen 203 b, and the recording medium and the ink ribbon areheld and pinched by the first thermal head 203 a and the first platen203 b. In this state, the heat generating elements included in the firstthermal head 203 a are selectively heated based on the front siderecording instruction, and the recording medium pulled out from thefirst holding unit 201 is fed to the first feeding path 206 in thedirection for the recording medium to be pulled into the first holdingunit 201 (see FIG. 9).

The heat generated by the heat generating elements included in the firstthermal head 203 a is transmitted to the ink ribbon, the sublimable dyeink provided on the ink ribbon is transferred by sublimation to therecording medium, whereby the recording operation can be executed forthe recording medium. In the recording operation by the first printingunit 110, printing is sequentially executed for the Y, M, and C facesfor each color of the ink layer similarly to the recording operation bythe second printing unit 120.

Similarly to the recording operations by the second printing unit 120,after the recording operations for all the colors are executed for theone side of the recording medium, an overcoat layer is provided on therecording face (the front side) of the recording medium for which therecording operations have been executed on one side. Similarly to therecording operations by the second printing unit 120, the overcoat layeris provided on the overall face of the recording face (the front side)for which the recording operations have been executed.

The first printing unit 110 drives and controls the corresponding firstmotor driver 314 to rotate the pair of feeding rollers provided in thefirst feeding path 206 in the direction whereby the recording medium onwhich the overcoat layer has been provided moves from the first holdingunit 201 toward the first discharging exit 205. The first printing unit110 drives and controls the corresponding first motor driver 314 untilthe lead end of the recording medium on which the overcoat layer hasbeen provided is pulled out to the predetermined position passingthrough the cutting position of the first cutter mechanism 214. Forexample, the first printing unit 110 drives and controls thecorresponding first motor driver 314 to rotate, in the forwarddirection, the pair of feeding rollers provided in the first feedingpath 206 until the border between the recorded portion on the sidetoward the lead end of the recording medium for which the recordingoperation has been executed for one side (the front side) and anon-recorded portion reaches the cutting position of the first cuttermechanism 214.

In a state where the recording medium on which the overcoat layer hasbeen provided is pulled to the predetermined position, the movable bladeis caused to operate by driving and controlling the first motor driver314 of the motor for the movable blade in the first cutter mechanism 214(see FIG. 10). The margin at the lead end of the recording medium forwhich the recording operation has been executed for one-side is therebycut off from the recorded matter. The margin piece produced by thiscutting is accommodated in the first cutting waste accommodating unit215.

In the two-side recording, the recorded matter is not limited to therecorded matter for which the recording operation has been executed forone side (the front side) and from which the margin at the lead end ofthe recording medium has been fully cut off. For example, the cuttingmay be executed in a state where a portion of the margin at the lead endof the recording medium for which the recording operation has beenexecuted for one side (the front side) remains, or the margin at thelead end of the recording medium for which the recording operation hasbeen executed for one side may remain without being cut off. In therecording operation for the back side, a load applied to the end portionof the recording medium can be buffered by the margin portion when therecording medium is inserted between the grip roller 212 and the pinchroller 213 and between the first thermal head 203 a and the first platen203 b in the first recording unit 203, and damage of the recorded mattercan thereby be prevented, by causing the margin to remain.

The first printing unit 110 drives and controls the corresponding firstmotor driver 314 to rotate the pair of feeding rollers, and therecording medium for which the recording operation has been executed forone side (the front side) and from which the margin at the lead end hasbeen cut off is thereby fed toward the first discharging exit 205 (seeFIG. 11). The printer 100 drives and controls the corresponding firstmotor driver 314 until the recorded portion of the recording mediumpasses through the cutting position of the first cutter mechanism 214and the recording medium for which the recording operation has beenexecuted for the front side is fed to a predetermined position. Forexample, the printer 100 drives and controls the corresponding firstmotor driver 314 until the border between the recorded portionpositioned on the side opposite to the lead end of the recorded portionof the recording medium for which the recording operation has beenexecuted for the front side, and the non-recorded portion (hereinafter,properly referred to as “tail end”) is fed to the cutting position ofthe first cutter mechanism 214.

In this state, the printer 100 drives and controls the first motordriver 314 of the motor for the movable blade in the first cuttermechanism 214 to cause the movable blade to again operate. The borderbetween the recorded portion and the non-recorded portion of therecording medium for which the one-side recording has been executed iscut and a cut paper sheet-like recording medium for which the recordingoperation has been executed for one side (the front side) is formed. Inthis manner, the recorded matter having no margin (the recorded matterhaving no frame) can be provided by cutting off both ends of therecorded portion of the recording medium for which the one-siderecording has been executed.

In the two-side recording, the cutting is executed in a state where themargin on the tail end of the recording medium for which the one-siderecording has been executed is caused to remain so that a predeterminedlength is obtained without cutting off the overall margin on the tailend of the recording medium for which the one-side recording has beenexecuted. For example, the tail end of the recording medium for whichthe one-side recording has been executed is cut off in a state where themargin remains having a length from the position at which the griproller 212 and the pinch roller 213 abut each other to the recordingposition of the first recording unit 203.

In the recording operation for the back side, the recording medium canalso be held and pinched by the grip roller 212 and the pinch roller213, and the recording position relative to the recording medium canalso be adjusted precisely by causing the margin to remain as describedabove. The load applied to the end portion of the recording medium canalso be buffered by the margin portion when the recording medium isinserted between the grip roller 212 and the pinch roller 213, andbetween the first thermal head 203 a and the first platen 203 b in thefirst recording unit 203, and damage of the recorded matter can therebybe prevented, by causing the margin to remain.

The first feeding unit 130 positions the flap-like member 226 at thefirst position during the execution of the recording operation by thefirst printing unit 110. In the cutting of the recording medium by thefirst cutter mechanism 214, the recording medium can thereby be guidedfrom the first opening 221 of the first feeding unit 130 to the side ofthe second opening 222 and damage of the recording medium caused byhooking of the recording medium by the flap-like member 226 or the likecan be prevented when the recording medium shoots out from the housing110 a of the first printing unit 110 with the lead end thereof ahead(see FIG. 11).

The cut paper sheet-like recording medium for which the recordingoperation has been executed for one-side (the front side) is fed to thefirst feeding unit 130. Because the flap-like member 226 in the firstfeeding unit 130 is positioned at the first position, the cut papersheet-like recording medium for which the recording operation has beenexecuted for one-side (the front side) is fed to the first feeding unit130, through the first discharging exit 205 and the first opening 221starting with the side of the lead end of the recording medium (see FIG.12). The recording medium fed to the first feeding unit 130 is therebyguided from the first opening 221 toward the second opening 222.

As described above, the pair of feeding rollers 225 is provided at aposition whereby the distance therefrom to the pair of feeding rollersprovided closest to the first discharging exit 205 in the first printingunit 110 is smaller than the dimension of the recorded matter identifiedbased on the recording instruction received from the external apparatus300, and the cut paper sheet-like recording medium for which therecording operation has been executed for one-side (the front side) istherefore held and pinched by the pair of feeding rollers 225 at thetime at which the tail end side is cut off.

After cutting off the tail end of the recording medium using the firstcutter mechanism 214, the printer 100 rotates, in the forward direction,the one roller 225 a included in the pair of feeding rollers 225 in thefirst feeding unit 130. The recording medium for which the one-siderecording has been executed and whose tail end side has been cut off isthereby fed from the first opening 221 toward the second opening 222.The recording medium fed from the first opening 221 to the secondopening 222 is fed to the tray 150 through the second opening 222starting with the lead end thereof, according to the length of therecording medium (see FIG. 13).

The printer 100 rotates, in the forward direction, the one roller 225 aincluded in the pair of feeding rollers 225 based on the output value ofthe first cutting position detecting sensor 318 from the time when thetail end of the cut paper sheet-like recording medium for which therecording operation has been executed for one-side (the front side)passes through the cutting position of the first cutter mechanism 214until the recording medium is fed by a predetermined length from thefirst opening 221 toward the second opening 222. For example, theprinter 100 rotates, in the forward direction, the one roller 225 aincluded in the pair of feeding rollers 225 until the tail end of therecording medium cut by the first cutter mechanism 214 passes throughthe position of the lead end of the flap-like member 226 positioned atthe first position.

The printer 100 positions the flap-like member 226 at the secondposition and rotates, in the reverse direction, the one roller 225 aincluded in the pair of feeding rollers 225 in the first feeding unit130 (see FIG. 14). The cut paper sheet-like recording medium for whichthe recording operation has been executed for one-side (the front side)is thereby fed from the second opening 222 toward the third opening 223.

The printer 100 rotates, in the reverse direction, the one roller 225 aincluded in the pair of feeding rollers 225 such that the one roller 225a rotates by the number of rotations that is larger than that necessaryto feed the recording medium having a length corresponding to thedimension of the recorded matter identified based on the recordinginstruction received from the external apparatus 300. The side facingthe first thermal head 203 a and the side facing the second thermal head204 a of the recording medium can be inverted to each other by feedingthe recording medium fed to the space in the tray 150 starting with thelead end thereof, and to the second printing unit 120 starting with thetail end thereof as described above.

When the second printing unit 120 detects the recording medium insertedfrom the insertion entrance 209 based on the output value of theinsertion detecting sensor 330 provided near the insertion entrance 209,the second printing unit 120 rotates the pair of feeding rollers in theforward direction to execute the recording operation same as therecording operation executed for the above one-side recording based onthe back side recording instruction received from the external apparatus300. Because the side facing the first thermal head 203 a and the sidefacing the second thermal head 204 a of the recording medium areinverted to each other, the second printing unit 120 executes therecording operation same as that for the one-side recording and therecording can thereby be executed for both sides of the recordingmedium.

As described above, in the recording operation by the first printingunit 110, when the recording medium that is to be recorded on is cut offwith the margin remaining at the lead end of the recording medium, thesecond printing unit 120 cuts off the margin at the lead end of therecording medium using the second cutter mechanism 217 for the recordingoperation related to the two-side recording.

In the recording operation by the second printing unit 120 related tothe two-side recording, the margin on the tail end of the recordingmedium that is to be recorded on is subsequently cut off. In thetwo-side recording, a recorded matter having no margin (a recordedmatter having no frame) can thereby be also provided. The recordingmedium whose margins on both ends thereof are cut off and for which thetwo-side recording has been executed is fed to the second feeding unit140 through the second discharging exit 207 and is discharged to theexterior of the printer from the discharging exit 141 provided on thehousing 140 a of the second feeding unit 140.

In the first embodiment, the printer is described where the firstholding unit 201 of the first printing unit 110 holds the recordingmedium that is suitable for the two-side recording, the recordingoperation is executed by the first recording unit 203 for the front sideof the recording medium held by the first holding unit 201, therecording operation is thereafter executed by the second recording unit204 for the back side of the recording medium in the second recordingunit 204 of the second printing unit 120, whereby the two-side recordingis executed. In the first embodiment, the printer is described where theribbon unit 210 in the first printing unit 110 and the ribbon unit 211in the second printing unit 120 each use a same ink ribbon as that ofeach other to execute the recording operation.

The use of the printer 100 according to the present invention is notlimited to the use described in the first embodiment and the printer 100is usable for various types of uses. For example, the first holding unit201 may hold a recording medium suitable for the one-side recording, andthe type of ink ribbon held by the ribbon unit 210 in the first printingunit 110 and the type of ink ribbon held by the ribbon unit 211 in thesecond printing unit 120 may be different from each other.

In this case, for example, the ribbon unit in the first printing unit110 holds the ink ribbon as above and the ribbon unit in the secondprinting unit 120 holds an ink ribbon that includes an ink layer for acolor (a special color) other than yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan(C). For example, gold, silver, a hologram color, black, or the like isusable as the special color. The hologram color can be recorded by usingan ink ribbon that includes an ink layer whose surface has plural finegrooves provided thereon. In this case, the special color can beadditionally recorded on the recording side of the recording medium forwhich the one-side recording is executed by the first printing unit 110.

When the printer 100 is employed for this use, the first feeding unit130 positions the flap-like member 226 at the second position by thetime when the recording operation by the first printing unit 110 iscompleted. The recording medium for which the one-side recording isexecuted by the first printing unit 110 can thereby be fed to the secondprinting unit 120 in a state where the same side as the recording sidefacing the recording position of the first recording unit 203 faces therecording position of the second recording unit 204.

In this use, the type of ink ribbon held by the ribbon unit 210 in thefirst printing unit 110 and the type of ink ribbon held by the ribbonunit 211 in the second printing unit 120 may be caused to differ fromeach other by, for example, holding the recording medium suitable forthe two-side recording by the first holding unit 201 and holding an inkribbon including an ink layer for black by the ribbon unit in the secondprinting unit 120.

In this case, a recording operation for one color to be black can beexecuted on the back side of the recording medium for which the one-siderecording is executed by the first printing unit 110. This use can beapplied to, for example, a recording operation for New Year postcards.With this use, when recording an image on one side of the recordingmedium, an address can be recorded on the other side of the recordingmedium for which the recording of the image has already been executedfor one side.

The printer formed by stacking the first printing unit 110 and thesecond printing unit 120 on each other is described in the firstembodiment, however, the number of printing units to be stacked on eachother in the printer is not limited to two. For example, the printer maybe configured by stacking three or more printing units on each other.

In the printer configured by stacking three or more printing units oneach other, for example, the printing unit provided at the lowestposition in the vertical direction holds a recording medium suitable forthe two-side recording and a feeding unit similar to the first feedingunit 130 is attached to each of the printing units other than that atthe highest position in the vertical direction.

In this printer, the two-side recording can be executed and therecording for the special color can be executed for both sides of therecording medium. For example, recording using yellow (Y), magenta (M),and cyan (C) (ordinary recording) can be executed for both sides of therecording medium and recording using the special color can be furtherexecuted for both sides of the recording medium.

With the printer configured by stacking three or more printing units oneach other, for example, a recording operation for the ordinaryrecording and the recording using the special color can be executed forthe one side of the recording medium and an address can be recorded inblack on the other side of the recording medium.

The tray 150 is provided at the lowest position of the two printingunits 110 and 120 stacked on each other and, when the sides of therecording medium are inverted to each other, the recording medium isaccommodated in the space on the inner side of the tray 150 withoutfolding the recording medium in the first embodiment, however, theposition of the space is not limited to the lowest position of the twoprinting units 110 and 120 stacked on each other. A space similar to thespace secured by the tray 150 may be secured by, for example, arrangingthe tray 150 between the two printing units 110 and 120 stacked on eachother.

In this case, to invert the sides of the recording medium for which therecording operation is executed by the printing unit 110 arranged on thelower side in the vertical direction, the recording medium cantemporarily be fed to the space between the printing units 110 and 120.In this case, to invert the sides of the recording medium for which therecording operation is executed by the printing unit 120 arranged on theupper side in the vertical direction, the recording medium maytemporarily be fed.

A feeding unit including the inverting path 224 similar to the firstfeeding unit 130 can thereby be attached not only to the printing unit110 arranged on the lower side in the vertical direction but also to theprinting unit 120 arranged on the upper side in the vertical direction,and the sides of the recording medium can be inverted to each other ineach of the printing units 110 and 120. Recording operations each morespecifically coping with the use by each user can thereby be executedand improvement of the degree of freedom can be facilitated.

The two printing units 110 and 120 are stacked on each other in thevertical direction, the printing unit 110 arranged on the lower side inthe vertical direction executes the recording operation for the one side(the front side) of the recording medium, and the printing unit 120arranged on the upper side in the vertical direction executes therecording operation for the other side (the back side) of the recordingmedium in the first embodiment, however, the direction to feed therecording medium is not limited to this. For example, the printing unit120 arranged on the upper side in the vertical direction may execute therecording operation for one side (the front side) of the recordingmedium and the printing unit 120 arranged on the upper side in thevertical direction may execute the recording operation for the otherside (the back side) of the recording medium.

As described above, the first feeding unit 130 (and the second feedingunit 140) realizing the feeding unit according to the present inventionincludes the first holding unit 201 that holds the long strip-likerecording medium in a wound state and the first recording unit 203 thatexecutes the recording operation for the recording medium pulled outfrom the first holding unit 201, and is provided in the first printingunit 110 that cuts the long strip-like recording medium for which therecording operation has been executed and discharges the cut recordingmedium.

The first feeding unit 130 (and the second feeding unit 140) includesthe flap-like member 226 realizing the sorting part that sorts therecording medium discharged from the first printing unit 110 to thesecond printing unit 120 stacked on the first printing unit 110 or tothe side opposite to that of the second printing unit 120, the guidepath 229 that guides the recording medium sorted to the second printingunit 120 side by the flap-like member 226 for the recording medium to besupplied to the position to which another recording medium held by thesecond printing unit 120 is pulled out along the direction identical tothe direction to pull out the other recording medium, and the pair offeeding rollers 225 that accommodate the recording medium sorted by theflap-like member 226 to the side opposite to that of the second printingunit 120 until the tail end of the recording medium passes through thesecond printing unit 120 and that feed the recording medium to the guidepath 229 starting with the tail end thereof when the tail end thereofpasses through the flap-like member 226.

The first feeding unit 130 (and the second feeding unit 140) ischaracterized in that the flap-like member 226 sorts the recordingmedium fed by the pair of feeding rollers 225 to the second printingunit 120 side.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140each realizing the feeding unit of the present invention, the recordingoperation by the second printing unit 120 can be additionally executedfor the recording side receiving the recording operation by the firstprinting unit 110, by supplying the recording medium discharged from thefirst printing unit 110 to the position to which the recording mediumheld by the second holding unit 202 is pulled out, along the directionidentical to the direction to pull out the recording medium.

For example, the special color (for example, gold, silver, a hologramcolor, or black) unusable by one printer (for example, the firstprinting unit 110 alone or the second printing unit 120 alone) canthereby be recorded and special processing such as foil stamping can beexecuted.

Ordinarily, a printer executing the recording of the special color andspecial processing such as foil stamping is developed and designed to bededicated to the recording of the special color and the specialprocessing when necessary. The dedicated printer needs a high cost fordesign and development, and the dedicated printer needs a high cost formanufacture because of a small number for prevalence.

In contrast, according to the first feeding unit 130 and the secondfeeding unit 140, the first printing unit 110 and the second printingunit 120 having a same structure can be used being stacked on eachother, and the recording of the special color and the special processingsuch as foil stamping can therefore be executed without developing a newprinter.

As described above, according to the first feeding unit 130 and thesecond feeding unit 140 of the first embodiment of the presentinvention, the printer 100 can be provided that has a high degree offreedom and that can execute the recording operation according to theuse for each user without any cost for the development, the design, andthe manufacture thereof.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140of the first embodiment of the present invention, the recording mediumsorted by the flap-like member 226 to the side opposite to that of thesecond printing unit 140 can be supplied to the second printing unit 120starting with the tail end thereof that is on the side opposite to thatof the lead end at the time of discharge from the first printing unit110.

Because the first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120have an identical configuration, the recording side for the recordingunit of the second printing unit 120 can be inverted relative to therecording side for the recording unit of the printer by supplying therecording medium discharged from the printer to the second printing unit120 starting with the tail end thereof that is on the side opposite tothat of the lead end at the time of the discharge, and the recordingoperations can be executed for both sides of the recording medium usingthe plural (for example, two) printers having an identicalconfiguration.

The second printing unit 120 can thereby execute the recording operationfor the other side of the recording medium for which the recordingoperation has already been executed for one side by the first printingunit 110, in parallel to the recording operation for the one side of therecording medium executed by the first printing unit 110.

Reduction of the time period until the completion of the two-siderecording for plural recording mediums can be facilitated compared to acase where one printer executes a recording operation for each of thesides of plural recording mediums of the same number as above.

Design and development for a dedicated printer capable of executing therecording operations for both sides of the recording medium areunnecessary by executing the recording operations for both sides of therecording medium using the first printing unit 110 and the secondprinting unit 120 having an identical configuration, and the parts canbe commonalized between the mechanism executing the recording operationfor one side of the recording medium and the mechanism executing therecording operation for the other side. The cost for design anddevelopment and the cost for manufacture of the system to execute therecording operations for both sides of the recording medium can therebybe suppressed.

The recording medium discharged from the first printing unit 110 issupplied by the second printing unit 120 to the position to which thesecond printing unit 120 pulls the recording medium from the secondholding unit 202, along the direction identical to the direction to pullout the recording medium, and the recording operations can thereby beexecuted according to identical control for the recording medium held bythe second holding unit 202 and for the recording medium supplied fromthe first printing unit 110 to the second printing unit 120.

Design and development for a dedicated printer capable of executing therecording operations for both sides of the recording medium are therebyunnecessary, and the parts can be commonalized between the mechanismexecuting the recording operation for the one side of the recordingmedium and the mechanism executing the recording operation for the otherside. The cost for design and development and the cost for manufactureof the system to execute the recording operations for both sides of therecording medium can thereby be suppressed.

As described above, according to the first feeding unit 130 and thesecond feeding unit 140 of the first embodiment of the presentinvention, improvement of the throughput related to the two-siderecording can be facilitated without any cost for the development, thedesign, and the manufacture.

The first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140 of the firstembodiment according to the present invention are provided near thefirst discharging exit 205 to be the position for discharging therecording medium from the first printing unit 110, and are characterizedin that the recording medium is sorted by the flap-like member 226 thatarbitrarily switches between the first position to communicate the firstdischarging exit 205 and the guide path 229 with each other and thesecond position to communicate the pair of feeding rollers 225 and theguide path 229 with each other.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140of the first embodiment of the present invention, the recording mediumdischarged from the first printing unit 110 can be sorted using thesimple configuration. Improvement of the throughput related to thetwo-side recording can thereby be facilitated without an increase of theload applied to the control and without any cost for the development,the design, and the manufacture even when a control unit is added to thefirst printing unit 110.

The first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140 of the firstembodiment according to the present invention are characterized in thatthe pair of feeding rollers 225 is provided at the position differentfrom the side of the second feeding unit 140 in the first printing unit110 and the tray 150 is included that includes the space accommodatingthe recording medium sorted to the position different from the side ofthe second feeding unit 140, without folding/bending the recordingmedium.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140of the first embodiment of the present invention, the space toaccommodate the recording medium set to have a paper sheet shape bycutting the long strip-like recording medium may have a thin and flatshape. The surfaces of the recording medium discharged from the firstprinting unit 110 and fed with the side opposite to that of the secondprinting unit 120 can be inverted to each other without damaging therecording medium by only securing a thin and flat space of the sizeaccommodating the recording medium without folding the recording medium.

The first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140 of the firstembodiment according to the present invention are characterized in thatthe tray 150 including the space that accommodates the recording mediumsorted to the position different from the side of the second feedingunit 140 without folding the recording medium is provided on the sideopposite to the position at which the first printing unit 110 and thesecond printing unit 120 overlaps each other, relative to the firstprinting unit 110.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140of the first embodiment of the present invention, by providing the tray150 on the second printing unit 120 side in the first printing unit 110,the recording operation can be executed by the printer 100 having anidentical configuration in any case regardless of presence or absence ofthe tray 150, that is, regardless of whether the recording operationneeding the inversion of the recording medium or the recording operationneeding recording of a special color and special processing such as foilstamping.

The printer 100 can thereby be provided that has a high degree offreedom to be able to execute the recording operation according to theuse by each user without any cost for the development, the design, andthe manufacture thereof.

The first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140 of the firstembodiment according to the present invention are characterized in thatthe recording medium is accommodated in the space by the rotation of thepair of feeding rollers 255 in the first rotation direction and therecording medium is fed to the guide path 229 starting with the tail endthereof by the rotation of the pair of feeding rollers 255 in the secondrotation direction that is the reverse direction to the first rotationdirection.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140of the first embodiment of the present invention, the recording mediumdischarged from the first printing unit 110 can be sorted by the simpleconfiguration. Improvement of the throughput related to the two-siderecording can thereby be facilitated without any increase of the loadapplied to the control and without any cost for the development, thedesign, and the manufacture even when a control unit is added to thefirst printing unit 110.

The first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140 of the firstembodiment according to the present invention are characterized in thatthe flap-like member 226 sorts the recording medium discharged from thefirst printing unit 110 to the upper side or the lower side in thevertical direction and the recording medium fed to the pair of feedingrollers 225 is fed to the guide path 229 along the vertical direction.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140of the first embodiment of the present invention, because the recordingmedium for which the recording operation is executed is generallydischarged from the front side of the printer or another printer, thefirst printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 can be stackedon each other along the vertical direction and the feeding units 130 and140 can be provided in the front of the first printing unit 110 and thesecond printing unit 120 by executing along the vertical direction thesorting of the recording medium discharged from the first printing unit110 and the feeding of the recording medium from the pair of feedingrollers 225 to the guide path 229.

Increases in the size of the printer 100 including the first printingunit 110 and the second printing unit 120 stacked on each other alongthe vertical direction (the printing system) can be suppressed andimprovement of the throughput related to the two-side recording can befacilitated without any cost for the development, the design, and themanufacture thereof.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140of the first embodiment of the present invention, when the recordingmedium causes jamming in the feeding unit 130 or 140 due to, forexample, the inversion of the sides to each other, the work forresolving the jamming can be executed easily and reliably, by providingthe feeding units 130 and 140 in the front of the first printing unit110 and the second printing unit 120.

The first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140 of the firstembodiment according to the present invention respectively include thehousings 130 a and 140 a accommodating the pair of feeding rollers 225,the guide path 229, and the feeding part, and are characterized in thatthe housings 130 a and 140 a include the discharging unit (thedischarging exit 141) that discharges the recording medium dischargedfrom the second printing unit 120 to the exterior of the housings.

According to the first feeding unit 130 and the second feeding unit 140of the first embodiment of the present invention, the recording mediumdischarged from the second printing unit 120 can be fed to the exteriorof the housing without damaging the recording medium even when thefeeding units 130 and 140 are provided in the front of the firstprinting unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 stacked on each otheralong the vertical direction.

Second Embodiment

A printer of the second embodiment according to the present inventionwill be described below. In the second embodiment, the same componentsas those of the first embodiment are given the same reference numeralsused in the first embodiment and will not again be described.

(Internal Configuration of Printer)

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of an internal configuration of aprinter of a second embodiment according to the present invention. InFIG. 15, the printer of the second embodiment according to the presentinvention includes a housing 1501 that accommodates the first printingunit 110 and the second printing unit 120. FIG. 15 depicts across-section of the printer 1500 at a position equivalent to the A-Aline in FIG. 1. The printer 1500 includes a tray 1502 arranged betweenthe first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 stacked oneach other along the vertical direction.

The printer 1500 is not limited to the one that has a tangible objectsuch as the tray 1502 provided therein. In the printer 1500, a spacesufficient to accommodate the recording medium therein without foldingthe recording medium may be secured between the first printing unit 110and the second printing unit 120 without providing any member such asthe tray 1502 therebetween. For example, the “space sufficient toaccommodate the recording medium therein without folding the recordingmedium” can be secured between the first printing unit 110 and thesecond printing unit 120 by adjusting the positional relation betweenthe first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 in thehousing 1501.

The tray 1502 includes an opening 1502 a on the same side as that of thedischarging exit 205, in the tray 1502. The opening 1502 a is providedhigher in the vertical direction than the position of the firstdischarging exit 205. In the housing 1501, an inverting path 1510 isprovided that communicates the first discharging exit 205, the opening1502 a, and the insertion entrance 209 with each other.

The inverting path 1510 includes a path 1511 communicating the firstdischarging exit 205 and the opening 1502 a, a path 1512 communicatingthe opening 1502 a and the insertion entrance 209, and a path 1513communicating the first discharging exit 205 and the insertion entrance209. A path leading from the first discharging exit 205 to the insertionentrance 209 through the opening 1502 a and the space in the tray 1502(that is, the path 1511 and the path 1512) and a path directly leadingfrom the first discharging exit 205 to the insertion entrance 209 (thatis, the path 1513) are thereby formed in the housing 1501.

In the inverting path 1510, the flap-like member 226 realizing thesorting part is provided at the branching position for the path leadingfrom the first discharging exit 205 to the insertion entrance 209through the opening 1502 a and the space in the tray 1502, and the pathdirectly leading from the first discharging exit 205 to the insertionentrance 209. The position of the flap-like member 226 can be switchedarbitrarily between a first position to communicate the firstdischarging exit 205 and the opening 1502 a with each other and a secondposition to communicate the first discharging exit 205 and the insertionentrance 209 with each other, by swinging the flap-like member 226 withthe fixed one end thereof as the fulcrum therefor.

When the flap-like member 226 is positioned at the second position, theflap-like member 226 sorts the recording medium discharged from thefirst printing unit 110 to the upper side in the vertical direction and,when the flap-like member 226 is positioned at the first position, theflap-like member 226 sorts this recording medium in the lateraldirection, that is, to the space in the tray 150. The flap-like member226 feeds the recording medium fed to the space in the tray 150, to theinsertion entrance 229 along the vertical direction.

In the path 1513, a guide member (not depicted) guiding the position ofthe recording medium fed in the path 1513 is provided near the insertionentrance 209. The guide member can be realized by, for example, a memberhaving a shape that is curved to direct the lead end of the recordingmedium fed from the first printing unit 110 or from the space in thetray 150 to the second printing unit 120 side, near the insertionentrance 209 in the path 1513. In the second embodiment, the guidingpart according to the present invention can be realized by the guidemember provided in the path 1513 or the path 1513.

In the inverting path 1510, a pair of feeding rollers 1520 is providednear the position for the branching of the path 1511 guiding therecording medium to the opening 1502 a and the path 1511 guiding therecording medium discharged from the space in the tray 1502 through theopening 1502 a, to the path 1512 through the insertion entrance 209, andat a position closer to the tray 1502 than the position for thebranching. In the second embodiment, the feeding part according to thepresent invention can be realized by the pair of feeding rollers 1520.

One roller 1520 a of the pair of rollers 1520 a and 1520 b included inthe pair of feeding rollers 1520 is coupled with a driving source suchas a motor to drive the one roller 1520 a, a power transmissionmechanism that transmits the driving force generated by the drivingsource to the one roller 1520 a, and the like.

The motor to drive the one roller 1520 a is rotatable in both ofdirections of a forward direction and a reverse direction. The oneroller 1520 a is thereby rotated in the direction according to therotation direction of the motor. The one roller 1520 a can thereby berotated in both of the directions to feed the recording mediumdischarged from the first discharging exit 205 to the space in the tray1502 (hereinafter, referred properly to as “first rotation direction”)and to feed the recording medium from the space in the tray 1502 towardthe exterior of the space (hereinafter, referred properly to as “secondrotation direction”).

In the second embodiment, the feeding unit according to the presentinvention can be realized by the switching member 220, the flap-likemember 226, the tray 1502, the paths 1511, 1512, 1513, the pair offeeding rollers 1520, and the like. In the second embodiment, thehousing 1501 of the printer 1500 realizes the housing of the feedingunit according to the present invention.

(Recording Operation Executed by Printer 1500)

The printer 1500 can execute the recording operation related to theone-side recording, the recording operation related to the two-siderecording, and the recording operation to additionally record thespecial color. For the one-side recording, the printer 1500 executes therecording operation similarly as that of the printer 100.

(Two-Side Recording)

For the recording operation related to the two-side recording, theprinter 1500 positions the flap-like member 226 at the first position inthe first printing unit 110 and positions the switching member 220 atthe position for a cut paper sheet in the second printing unit 120,based on a two-side recording instruction received from the externalapparatus 300.

The recording operation for all the colors is executed for the one sideof the recording medium and an overcoat layer is provided on therecorded face (the front side) of the recording medium for which therecording operation has been executed for the one side. The pair offeeding rollers provided in the first feeding path 206 is thereafterrotated in the direction whereby the recording medium on which theovercoat layer has been provided moves from the first holding unit 201to the first discharging exit 205. In a state where the recording mediumon which the overcoat layer has been provided is pulled to apredetermined position, both ends of the recorded portion of therecording medium for which the recording operation has been executed forone side (the front side) are thereafter cut off by the first cuttermechanism 214.

The cut paper sheet-like recording medium for which the recordingoperation has been executed for one side (the front side) is fed to thespace in the tray 1502 through the first discharging exit 205 and theopening 1502 a, that is, the path 1511. For example, in the printer1500, because the flap-like member 226 is positioned at the firstposition, as to the recording medium fed from the first discharging exit205 side to the opening 1502 a side, when the lead end thereof abuts theflap-like member 226, the recording medium bends toward the opening 1502a along the flap-like member 226. In this state, the pair of feedingrollers provided in the first feeding path 206 is further rotated andthe cut paper sheet-like recording medium for which the recordingoperation has been executed for one side (the front side) can thereby befed to the space in the tray 1502 starting with the lead end of therecording medium.

The printer 1500 rotates, in the forward direction, the one roller 1520a included in the pair of feeding rollers 1520 until the tail end of therecording medium cut off by the first cutter mechanism 214 passesthrough the position of the lead end of the flap-like member 226 that ispositioned at the first position. The recording medium fed by therotation of the one roller 1520 a in the forward direction is fed to thespace in the tray 1502 through the opening 1502 a starting with the leadend thereof.

The printer 1500 thereafter positions the flap-like member 226 at thesecond position and rotates the one roller 1520 a in the reversedirection. The cut paper sheet-like recording medium for which therecording operation has been executed for one side (the front side) andthat is fed to the space in the tray 1502 starting with the lead endthereof is thereby fed from the space in the tray 1502 to the exteriorthrough the opening 1502 a and is fed toward the insertion entrance 209.

At this time, because the flap-like member 226 is positioned at thesecond position, the recording medium fed from the space in the tray1502 to the exterior is bent toward the insertion entrance 209 along theflap-like member 226 when the lead end thereof abuts the flap-likemember 226. In this state, the printer 1500 further rotates the oneroller 1520 a included in the pair of feeding rollers 1520 and the cutpaper sheet-like recording medium for which the recording operation hasbeen executed for one side (the front side) can thereby be fed to thesecond printing unit 120 through the insertion entrance 209 startingwith the tail end of the recording medium.

The side facing the first thermal head 203 a and the side facing thesecond thermal head 204 a of the recording medium can be inverted toeach other by feeding the recording medium fed to the space in the tray1502 starting with the lead end thereof, and to the second printing unit120 starting with the tail end thereof.

When the second printing unit 120 detects the recording medium insertedfrom the insertion entrance 209, similarly to that of the printer 100,the second printing unit 120 rotates the pair of feeding rollers in theforward direction to execute a same recording operation as the recordingoperation for the above one-side recording based on the back siderecording instruction that is received from the external apparatus 300.Because the side facing the first thermal head 203 a and the side facingthe second thermal head 204 a of the recording medium are inverted toeach other, recording can be executed for both sides of the recordingmedium by executing the same recording operation as the one-siderecording by the second printing unit 120.

In the two-side recording, in the recording operation by the firstprinting unit 110, when the recording medium that is to be recorded onis cut off with the margin at the lead end of the recording mediumremaining therewith as described above, the second printing unit 120cuts off the margin at the lead end of the recording medium using thesecond cutter mechanism 217 in the recording operation related to thetwo-side recording.

In the recording operation by the second printing unit 120 related tothe two-side recording, the margin on the tail end of the recordingmedium that is to be recorded on is cut off and the recording medium isdischarged from the discharging exit 141 to the exterior of the printer.In this manner, the two-side recording can be executed for the recordingmedium.

(Recording Operation to Add Special Color)

When the printer 1500 executes the recording operation to additionallyrecord the special color on the recording side of the recording mediumfor which the one-side recording is executed, the first feeding unit 130positions the flap-like member 226 at the second position by the timewhen the recording operation by the first printing unit 110 iscompleted. The recording medium for which the one-side recording hasbeen executed by the first printing unit 110 is bent toward theinsertion entrance 209 along the flap-like member 226 when the lead endthereof abuts the flap-like member 226.

In this state, the printer 1500 rotates the one roller 1520 a includedin the pair of feeding rollers 1520 and the cut paper sheet-likerecording medium for which the recording operation has been executed forone side (the front side) is thereby fed to the second printing unit 120through the insertion entrance 209 starting with the tail end side ofthe recording medium. In this manner, the recording medium fed to thefeeding path 1511 starting with the lead end thereof is fed to thesecond printing unit 120 starting with the lead end thereof, and theside facing the first thermal head 203 a and the side facing the secondthermal head 204 a of the recording medium can thereby be kept to be thesame side.

The recording medium can be fed to the second printing unit 120 in astate where the same side as the recording side facing the recordingposition of the first recording unit 203 is caused to face the recordingposition of the second recording unit 204. The recording operation canthereby be executed to additionally record the special color on therecording side of the cut paper sheet-like recording medium for whichthe recording operation has been executed for one side (the front side),by executing the same recording operation as that for the one-siderecording by the second printing unit 120.

As described above, the printer 1500 of the second embodiment includingthe feeding unit according to the present invention is characterized inthat the space in the tray 1502 is provided between the first printingunit 110 and the second printing unit 120.

According to the printer 1500 of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, the recording medium for which the recording operation isexecuted by the first printing unit 110 can be caused to pass throughthe paths 1512 and 1513 and can thereby be inverted to thereafter be fedto the second printing unit 120. When the recording medium is notinverted, the recording medium can directly be fed to the secondprinting unit 120 by causing the recording medium to pass through thepath 1511. The printer 1500 can thereby accommodate the path to invertthe sides of the recording medium to each other, between the firstprinting unit 110 and the second printing unit 120.

According to the printer 1500, increases in the size of the printer 1500(the printing system) can thereby be suppressed and improvement of thethroughput related to the two-side recording can be facilitated withoutany cost for the development, the design, and the manufacture thereof,compared to the printer 100 having a configuration to secure a mechanismrelated to the inversion such as the inverting path (see the invertingpath 224 in the printer 100 of the first embodiment) in the front of thefirst printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120. An effect offacilitating improvement of the aesthetic appearance of the printer 1500can be expected compared to the case where the mechanism related to theinversion is proved in the front of the printer 1500.

According to the printer 1500 of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, the configuration is employed to accommodate the path toinvert the sides of the recording medium to each other and the tray1502, between the first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit120, and the pair of feeding rollers 1520 can thereby be arranged at theposition closer to the second printing unit 120 compared to the pair offeeding rollers 225 in the printer 100 of the first embodiment.

The distance from the first printing unit 110 to the second printingunit 120 can thereby be reduced and, compared to a case where the pathto invert the sides of the recording medium to each other and the tray1502 are not accommodated between the first printing unit 110 and thesecond printing unit 120, the number of rollers necessary for feedingthe recording medium for which the recording operation is executed bythe first printing unit 110 to the second printing unit 120 can bereduced. Improvement of the throughput related to the two-side recordingcan thereby be facilitated without any cost for the development, thedesign, and the manufacture.

According to the printer 1500 of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, a configuration is employed to accommodate the path to invertthe sides of the recording medium to each other and the tray 1502,between the first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120,and the first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 caneach thereby be independently configured. Setting the first printingunit 110 and the second printing unit 120 to each be able toindependently be configured enables easy commonalization for the firstprinting unit 110 and the second printing unit 120.

For example, as described above, the printer 1500 can be realized byhandling the first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120each as an independent part and stacking these printing units 110 and120 on each other in the vertical direction. According to the printer1500, improvement of the throughput related to the two-side recordingcan be facilitated without any cost for the development, the design, andthe manufacture thereof.

According to the printer 1500 of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, even when the printer 1500 is used in a state having nomechanism (for example, the tray 1502, the path 1511, the path 1512, andthe pair of feeding rollers 1520) related to the inversion providedtherein, commonalization of the components in the printer 1500 in astate having the mechanism related to the inversion (that is, the statedepicted in FIG. 15) can be executed easily. For example, the printer1500 is usable in a state having no mechanism related to the inversionprovided therein to have a configuration only removing the tray 1502,the path 1511, the path 1512, the pair of feeding rollers 1520, and thelike therefrom. Increases in the size of the printer 1500 (the printingsystem) can thereby be suppressed and improvement of the throughputrelated to the two-side recording can be facilitated without any costfor the development, the design, and the manufacture thereof.

The printer 1500 of the second embodiment according to the presentinvention is characterized in that the flap-like member 226 realizingthe sorting part sorts the recording medium discharged from the firstprinting unit 110 to the upper side in the vertical direction to therebyfeed the recording medium to the second printing unit 120, and sorts therecording medium in the direction intersecting the vertical direction(for example, the lateral direction) to thereby feed the recordingmedium to the space in the tray 1502, and the recording medium fed tothe space is fed to the insertion entrance 209 along the verticaldirection.

According to the printer 1500 of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, when the tray 1502 (that is the space accommodating therecording medium) is provided between the first printing unit 110 andthe second printing unit 120, the sorting of the recording mediumdischarged from the first printing unit 110 and the feeding of therecording medium from the pair of feeding rollers 1520 to the guide path1510 can also be executed in the front of the printer 1500, and theinversion of the recording medium can be executed between the firstprinting unit 110 and the second printing unit 120. Increases in thesize of the printer 1500 (the printing system) can thereby be suppressedand improvement of the throughput related to the two-side recording canbe facilitated without any cost for the development, the design, and themanufacture thereof.

Increases in the size of the printer 1500 (the printing system)including the first printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120stacked on each other in the vertical direction can be suppressed andimprovement of the throughput related to the two-side recording can befacilitated without any cost for the development, the design, and themanufacture thereof.

According to the printer 1500 of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, the feeding unit (the switching member 220, the flap-likemember 226, the tray 1502, the paths 1511, 1512, and 1513, the pair offeeding rollers 1520, and the like) is provided in the front of thefirst printing unit 110 and the second printing unit 120 and, forexample, when the recording medium becomes jammed in the feeding unit130 or 140 for inverting the sides of the recording medium, the work forresolving the jamming can thereby easily and reliably be executed.

The application example in which the printer 100 is configured byattaching the independent feeding units 130 and 140 respectively to theprinting units 110 and 120 each capable of independently executing arecording operation has been described in the first embodiment, however,the configuration is not limited hereto. The printer according to thepresent invention may be realized by a printer that is integrallyconfigured by accommodating the configurations and the functions of theprinting units 110 and 120, and the configurations and the functions ofthe feeding units 130 and 140 in a single housing.

This printer includes, for example, a printing unit including a holdingunit that holds a long strip-like recording medium in a wound state, arecording unit that executes a recording operation for the recordingmedium pulled out from the holding unit, and a cutter unit that cuts offthe long strip-like recording medium for which the recording operationis executed by the recording unit, a sorting part that sorts therecording medium cut off by the cutter unit to the side of anotherprinting unit having the same configuration as that of the printing unitand stacked on the printing unit, or to the side opposite to that of theother printing unit, a guiding part that guides the recording mediumsorted by the sorting part to the side of the other printing unit, forthe recording medium to be supplied to a position to which anotherrecording medium held by the other printing unit is pulled along theidentical direction to the pulling-out direction of the other recordingmedium, and a feeding unit that accommodates the recording medium sortedby the sorting part to the side opposite to that of the other printingunit until the tail end of the recording medium passes through thesorting part, the feeding unit feeding the recording medium to theguiding part starting with the tail end thereof when the tail end passesthrough the sorting part. This printer is characterized in that thesorting part sorts the recording medium fed by the feeding unit, to theside of the other printing unit.

According to this printer, similarly to the first embodiment, a printerhaving a high degree of freedom and capable of executing a recordingoperation in accordance with the use of each user without a high costfor the development, the design, and the manufacture thereof can beprovided.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the feeding unit and the printer according to thepresent invention are useful for a printer capable of recording on bothsides of a recording medium and a feeding unit used in this printer andare especially suitable for a printer of which recording on one side andrecording on both sides of a recording medium are required, and afeeding unit used in this printer.

EXPLANATIONS OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS

-   -   100 printer    -   110 first printing unit    -   120 second printing unit    -   130 first feeding unit    -   140 second feeding unit    -   150 tray    -   201 first holding unit    -   202 second holding unit    -   203 first recording unit    -   203 a thermal head    -   203 b platen    -   204 second recording unit    -   204 a thermal head    -   204 b platen    -   214 first cutter mechanism    -   217 second cutter mechanism    -   220 switching member    -   221 first opening    -   222 second opening    -   223 third opening    -   225 pair of feeding rollers    -   226 sorting part (flap-like member)    -   227 fourth opening    -   228 fifth opening    -   229 guide path    -   230 guide member    -   1500 printer    -   1501 housing    -   1502 tray    -   1502 a opening    -   1511, 1512, 1513 path    -   1520 pair of feeding rollers    -   1520 a one roller

The invention claimed is:
 1. A feeding unit provided to a set of firstprinter and a second printer, each of the first and second printersincluding a holding unit that holds a long strip-like recording mediumin a wound state and a recording unit that executes a recordingoperation with respect to the recording medium pulled out from theholding unit, the first printer and the second printer cutting off anddischarging the long strip-like recording medium on which the recordingoperation has been executed, the feeding unit comprising: a sorting partthat sorts the recording medium discharged from the first printer, to aside of the second printer stacked on the printer and having aconfiguration identical to a configuration of the first printer, or to aposition different from the side of the second printer; a guiding partthat guides the recording medium sorted by the sorting part to the sideof the second printer, to be supplied to a position to which a secondrecording medium held by the holding unit of the second printer ispulled out, the guiding part guiding the recording medium along adirection identical to a direction to pull out the second recordingmedium; and a feeding part that accommodates the recording medium sortedto the position different from the side of the second printer by thesorting part, the feeding part accommodating the recording medium untila tail end of the recording medium passes through the sorting part, thefeeding part feeding the recording medium to the guiding part startingwith the tail end, when the tail end passes through the sorting part,wherein the sorting part sorts the recording medium fed by the feedingpart, to the side of the second printer.
 2. The feeding unit accordingto claim 1, wherein the sorting part is a flap-like member provided neara discharge position where the recording medium is discharged from theprinter, the sorting part is arbitrarily switched between a firstposition to communicate the discharge position and the guiding part witheach other and a second position to communicate the feeding part and theguiding part with each other.
 3. The feeding unit according to claim 1,wherein the feeding part includes a space that is provided at a positiondifferent from the side of the second printer in the printer and thataccommodates the recording medium sorted to the position different fromthe side of the second printer, without folding the recording medium. 4.The feeding unit according to claim 3, wherein the feeding part includesa pair of rollers that feed the recording medium sorted to the positiondifferent from the side of the second printer, to an inside of thespace, the feeding part accommodates the recording medium in the spaceby rotating the pair of rollers in a first rotation direction, and feedsthe recording medium to the guiding part starting with the tail end ofthe recording medium by rotating the pair of rollers in a secondrotation direction that is reverse to the first rotation direction. 5.The feeding unit according to claim 3, wherein the space is provided ona side of the printer, opposite a side of the printer having a positionat which the printer and the second printer are stacked on each other.6. The feeding unit according to claim 5, wherein the sorting part sortsthe recording medium discharged from the printer, to an upper side or alower side in a vertical direction and feeds the recording medium fed tothe feeding part, to the guiding part along the vertical direction. 7.The feeding unit according to claim 3, wherein the space is providedbetween the printer and the second printer.
 8. The feeding unitaccording to claim 7, wherein the sorting part feeds the recordingmedium discharged from the printer, by sorting the recording medium tothe upper side in the vertical direction, feeds the recording medium tothe space by sorting the recording medium in a direction intersectingthe vertical direction, and further feeds the recording medium fed tothe space to the guiding part along the vertical direction.
 9. Thefeeding unit according to claim 5, further comprising a housing thataccommodates the sorting part, the guiding part, and the feeding part,wherein the housing includes a discharging unit that discharges to anexterior of the housing, the recording medium discharged from the secondprinter.
 10. The feeding unit according to claim 7, further comprising ahousing that accommodates the sorting part, the guiding part, and thefeeding part, wherein the housing includes a discharging unit thatdischarges to an exterior of the housing, the recording mediumdischarged from the second printer.
 11. A printer comprising: a set of afirst printing unit and a second printing unit, each of the first andthe second printing units including: a holding unit that holds a longstrip-like recording medium in a wound state; a recording unit thatexecutes a recording operation for the recording medium pulled out fromthe holding unit; and a cutter unit that cuts the long strip-likerecording medium for which a recording operation is executed by therecording unit; a sorting part that sorts the recording medium cut offby the cutter unit of the first printing unit, to a side of the secondprinting unit stacked on the printing unit and having an identicalconfiguration as that of the first printing unit, or to a positiondifferent from the side of the second printing unit; a guiding part thatguides the recording medium sorted by the sorting part to the side ofthe second printing unit, to be supplied to a position to which a secondrecording medium held by the holding unit of the second printing unit ispulled out, the guiding part guiding the recording medium along adirection identical to a direction to pull out the second recordingmedium; and a feeding part that accommodates the recording medium sortedto the position different from the side of the second printing unit bythe sorting part, the feeding part accommodating the recording mediumuntil a tail end of the recording medium passes through the sortingpart, the feeding part feeding the recording medium to the guiding partstarting with the tail end, when the tail end passes through the sortingpart, wherein the sorting part sorts the recording medium fed by thefeeding part, to the side of the second printing unit.